Thursday, March 18, 2021

The Tragic Atlanta Shootings: The Media's Agenda Will Always Trump a Desire for the Stated Truth

Eight people were tragically and brutally murdered in Atlanta on Tuesday by a lone gunman.

The majority of those killed were Asian women, all of whom worked in Atlanta massage parlors. The Atlanta-Consitution reported that the motive for the killings had nothing to do with race.

The paper quoted the police investigators who interviewed the 21-year-old suspect, including Cherokee County Sheriff Frank Reynolds. It was very clear what motivated the suspect. According to the Sheriff Reynolds: 
"During our interview, he (the suspect) gave no indicators that this was racially motivated. We asked him that specifically and the answer was "No." He said the massage parlors represented a 'temptation he wanted to eliminate.'"

The suspect was a sex addict. His motive had nothing to do with race and everything to do with a twisted mind and addicted life. The murders are inexcusable. So is attempting to assign a motive to a cold-blooded killer that isn't what the investigators state the motive to be.

Yet, headlines of papers across the country are assigning motive around the race of the women:

The Washington Post - Extremism Fueled a Rise in Anti-Asian Attacks Since the Election.

CNBC - "Stand Up and Condemn the Violence" Say Politicians

Detroit Free Press - Will Atlanta Shootings Spur Hate Crime Laws?

Bloomberg - Trump to Blame for Atlanta Shootings

Even President Biden's Press Secretary blamed former President Trump. According to Global NewsWhite House Press Secretary Jan Psaki said:

"President Trump’s administration’s actions in blaming China for the coronavirus and calling COVID-19 the “China virus” is in part to blame for rising anti-Asian racism incidents in the country."

When there is an agenda, the truth gets in the way. Why can't newspapers report a story without bias?

Our national media leans Marxist.  Cultural Marxism reveals itself in the casual use of terms like “privilege,” “alienation,” “commodification,” “fetishism,” “materialism,” “hegemony,” or “superstructure.” Cultural Marxism wishes to divide people along privilege and poverty, status and skin, haves and have-nots.

Dr. Andrew Lynn’s essay on “Cultural Marxism” in the Fall 2018 issue of The Hedgehog Review nails the agenda of many in the media:
"It is a short step from the Marxist and cultural Marxist premise that ideas are, at their core, expressions of power to rampant, divisive identity politics and the routine judging of people and their cultural contributions based on their race, gender, sexuality, and religion.”

Don't always believe what you read in the papers, what you see on television news, and what you hear in popular cultural/leftist podcasts. 

America is the land of opportunity for all, no matter race, religion, or gender. Marxists want you to believe we are at war with each other. But the only thing Americans are at war with is Marxism, socialism, and communism. Our struggle is not against people (e.g. "flesh and blood"), but the dark philosophies that are destroying our Republic from the inside.

The headlines are not telling you the truth. The Atlanta murders had nothing to do with race. 

Our prayers are with the families of those victims who lost their lives due to the inexcusable actions of a crazy sex addict.  

185 comments:

Rex Ray said...

Wade,

If I was guessing, I’d think CHRISTIANE would go with Bloomberg: “Trump to Blame for Atlanta Shootings”. ๐Ÿ˜Š

Sandy said...

News commentators are wondering if this is a “hate crime”. All crimes are hate crimes. There is no such thing as a “love crime”. Any criminal act against another person or property is an act of hate.

Gerry Milligan said...

Wade, you said, "Americans are at war with is Marxism, socialism, and communism." What is it about socialism that conservatives fear?

Wade Burleson said...

Gerry,

No socialist country in modern history has succeeded. Every single one - every...single...one...- has collapsed economically, socially, and culturally.

Socialism is FINE when it's voluntary (Christianity) it is anathema (cursed) when it is mandatory.

Christiane said...

Very funny, REX RAY. :)

What I know is that an investigation into a mass murder is on-going. Eight people are dead. Most were Asian, so that of course the authorities would want to rule out a hate-crime, but the murder of eight innocent people is in itself horrific. That the suspect seems young and troubled makes one wonder about his own state of mind.

I imagine the authorities are going to look into his background and take a look at his social media and his connections, but what I heard on the news was BOTH an initial concern about a possible hate-crime against Asians because of the number of Asian dead among the victims AND a need by law-enforcement to continue an on-going investigation to determine the truth. The suspect deserves a fair investigation, as do the families of the victims, so that the truth can come out. That this multiple murder is tragic is a given, but people have a need to know more about the 'why' so that speculation is not substituted for the truth if we are to follow the law responsibly. (I would not make a good juror, no)

Trump? All those hate rallies? Kung-flu? REX RAY, what is that famous saying, that someone can fire an arrow in Jerusalem and kill in Rome? Hate speech has a power to light fires that the speaker can no longer control. Has there been an increase since the coming of Covid in acts of hate against our Asian citizens? Well, by their report alone, there has been an increase, yes. My family member from China who is married to my nephew has experienced comments in public herself. That is what I know.

People need to give authorities a chance to investigate the matter. Jumping to conclusions about motive seems premature, of course, and would not have happened had so many of the victims not been Asian. If the truth if followed, that original suspicion will either be confirmed or ruled-out. In any case, a young man is accused of the murder of eight innocent people and Wade is right that it is tragic indeed.

RB Kuter said...

The continuing noise attributing all evil and wrong to the demonized anti-elitist Trump is so disingenuous and absurd that it is only irritating like a mosquito buzzing around your ear. As I mentioned earlier regarding the hypocrisy and partisanship basis shown regarding the mistreatment of illegals at the border, no claims or rationale offered by the left is of any substantive basis. This latest, laughable, attempt to attribute the sex workers' murders to somehow being connected to Donald Trump is predictable and typical.

Yet the radical woke people continue to fabricate fodder to propose racism as a contributing weapon to justify their anarchist strategy to further undermine the traditional "American" principles of free speech, liberty, equality, and capitalism. They just want to have a revolution of complete transformation from the principle of the government's purpose being to serve the people to the antithesis of that with the people being dependent upon the government and existing to serve it.

Any objective observer can recognize how progress toward racial equality has totally reversed since last year's BLM movement and subsequent morphing of all social media, commercial advertising, and what is now considered to be a politically correct dialogue where it is demonic to be "white", "conservative", "patriotic", "Godly", "equal opportunistic" and definitely, "proponents for the life of infants".

Racism has never been worse. Prior to the BLM campaign, there was a sliver of hope that "racism" was taking a major hit as minorities were beginning to share in the pie and their unemployment and education opportunities were surging beyond any former levels. That is what would eventually eliminate racism, that is, the elevation of all races to an economic and status of living that equal all others supported by their being given the necessary resources to work to improve themselves. Unfortunately, the socialist, enslavement policies of government to force minorities into a continued dependency will keep the government's boot upon their necks.

Gerry Milligan said...

Wade, maybe our definitions of socialism are different because many European countries claim that they have a socialistic form of government. But, if we who are Christian would live as those seen in Acts 42-47, that type of socialism would meet your approval?

Unknown said...

Um this dude killed women because HE alone had a problem with keeping it in his pants and understanding the freedom from sin . The sin of lust and desire to fulfill his sexual chains. No woman is responsible for a mans lust or perversion. And yet instead despite going to church apparently having a preacher for a father he could not find a way or did not want to change. He was given over to a debase mind.

So like many he points at someone else to blame.

How these other subjects posted here are relevant I have no clue. The church and many parts of it, especially the purity culture, and cults fundamentalist churches only blame women. And yet you guys are yakking on about Trump and socialism while there is a huge elephant in the room.

I did not expect this conversation. Or maybe I should have.

Christiane said...

Good Morning 'Unknown'

you wrote, this:
"The church and many parts of it, especially the purity culture, and cults fundamentalist churches only blame women."

When you think about it, 'fundamentalism' seems in its many guises even in other religions to have this attitude of 'blaming women' as 'temptresses', so much so that even in certain Middle Eastern countries, female rape victims are punished, being seen as having 'caused' their own rape. Not so long ago in our OWN legal system, it was popular to shame rape victims on the witness stand. So the theme of shaming the victim seems to be a strong thread in these attempts at 'excusing' the rapists among cultures that have fostered misogyny.

I would say it is possible this young man was heavily conflicted between his religious up-bringing and his emerging struggles with his own sexuality, and even the Bible tells people 'it is better to marry than to burn' HOWEVER most folks who are young and heavily conflicted don't pick up a gun and go on a killing spree to 'eliminate' the sources of their temptation,
so it is very possible that Wade is right about the young many being 'crazy', as his behavior was not 'normal' in the specific isolated area you refer to: 'the Church, and many parts of it, especially the purity culture, and cults fundamentalist churches';
although no doubt 'paternalism' is a form of abuse of women in its own right in ways designed to attempt to 'control' and limit the potential of a human person who is female, sure.

My own thought is to let the investigations play out to try to sort out the 'why?' of this tragedy. But the young man's behavior is atypical for a young Christian man who is struggling with his own sexuality in that he has chosen to kill many innocent people.

Trump? It is true that Asian hate crimes have increased since his hate rallies.
It is true that the young man sought out 'Asian' spas to attack.
It is true that six out of eight victims WERE Asian.
So it is not beyond reason to ask 'was this a hate-crime'? That is why a careful investigation is taking place, to determine if this is a factor in what happened.

As far as the focus of the right wing on China as 'our enemy', I'm inclined to think of the chain of connection among the far-right that leads back to Russian security forces,
and to think that by focusing on 'China', the hope was to take the pressure off of Putin and his intelligence officers who we KNOW did engage in attempts to influence the 2020 election in favor of Trump.

Hate crimes are way up in this country. But not without 'cause'. Hate-mongering has been somewhat 'normalized' in certain circles. Unfortunately those same circles provide some conflicting messages to young people, who are already trying to sort out 'growing up' from their teen years into young adulthood. So the tragedy may have multiple 'why's', none of them good. Let the investigations proceed.

Media and politics aside, the human tragedy of this incident in Georgia calls us to pray for the victims' families and to see that the young man who is accused is given fair trial, with psychiatric evaluation if need be, that justice can be done according to law in ways humane and civil. Premature judgment does no one any good, no.

Rex Ray said...

CHRISTIANE,

To me, you brought up an interesting point by saying, “Even the Bible tells people ‘it is better to marry than to burn’.

Paul writes: “So I say to those who aren’t married and to widows; it’s better to stay unmarried, just as I am. But if they can’t control themselves, they should go ahead and marry. It’s better to marry than to burn with lust.” (1 Corinthians 7:9 NLT)

DUH, I have ‘NO’ written after this verse because Paul leaves out the most important thing why people marry; LOVE.

A couple of years ago, I attended a memorial service of a man I’d worked years with in Japan. I learned, he and his wife fell in love in the fourth grade. (I don’t have to say that’s before people start thinking about sex.)

What is Paul’s problem? when he wrote: “I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate…it is sin living in me that does it.” (Romans 7:15-17 NLT)

Since Paul never married, I believe his thoughts were eating him up.

Christiane said...

Good Morning, REX RAY

we do know from the passage in Corinthians that at that time, St. Paul was not married, but the Bible does not mention whether or not he was married and possibly widowed before that time . . . . I remember reading that St.Paul said he had 'the gift of celibacy', so maybe he never married which is unusual for a Jewish man

I got my Moderna vaccination this week (first one) and I thought about you and I still hope you get yourself vaccinated. My poor sister-in-law lives, but is very weak and recovering slowly . . . she will retire from being a nurse-practitioner (pediatric) and when better, she will spend time with the grand-children which I know she loves to do.

Think about a vaccination, REX RAY

RB Kuter said...

"Unknown" comments: "How these other subjects posted here are relevant I have no clue." and then immediately goes on to inject an equally non-relevant issue of his own, "The church and many parts of it, especially the purity culture, and cults fundamentalist churches only blame women.", which indicates what is "Unknown's" particular issue of passion.

Somewhere along the way, "Unknown" must have had a personal encounter with that type of church or church leader that makes him particularly sensitive and angry about it so other issues having no apparent connection to it are related in his mind as having relevance. Personally, I have not been involved in any church that is as described like those mentioned by "Unknown".

I'm not "mind-reading" "Unknown's" logic process here, only expressing my own conclusions based upon his response. He mentions how we who inject other issues like socialism or Presidential Administrations are off-target and how those elements are not relevant to the discussion when we are actually doing the same as "Unknown" and showing how our perceptions of things are colored by these passions that we have for particular issues in society.

Whether these elements, "socialism", "Trump vs Biden", etc., actually have any direct connection with some demented young man killing sex workers or not doesn't matter. They probably have as much relevance as "purity culture" (whatever that is) or "fundamentalist" churches, even if this young killer's Dad was one, which we don't know.

We all mention things in the discussion, as does "Unknown", that we believe have influence over all sorts of events that may, or may not be directly associated with our passions. When deciphering a mass murder's motives for killing, only God and that person (possibly), and Satan, knows why he did it and what elements in his life were so twisted by Satan's power into driving him to do it.

So one's proposition on the matter and its causes is just as valid, or not, as the other's.

Scott Shaver said...

"Hate Crimes" are way up since legal definition๐Ÿ˜Ž

Scott Shaver said...

Cristianne: How did Trump calling out China's trade practices and its hand in covering up the Kung Flu foster "hate crimes"?

I think your TDS is at impairing levels. Have you seen anybody about this?

RB Kuter said...

Should being blindly, totally obsessed with hating Trump be classified as "hate crime"?

I kinda thought that the hatred would subside following the takeover by the leftists, but seems it is like a cancer embedded in their brains/hearts. They just can't let it go.

Almost like a dopamine fix that keeps them addicted to hating him as though their entire lives are based upon it. Pretty sad purpose for having a life, huh?

(Sorry, "Unknown". You would be right in this comment having absolutely no relevance to the issue posted....or, does it?)

Rex Ray said...

Wonder if this sex addict thought he’d act like Jack the Ripper?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_the_Ripper

Rex Ray said...

Wade,

Two days ago, I wrote: “A woman has until today to turn herself in on charges of not closing her business. She said she came from a Communist country, and is feeling like she is back there.” *I learned that from the Tucker Carlson TV show as she told her story to him.

Michigan restaurant owner in jail for defying virus orders | National News | independenttribune.com

“DETROIT (AP) — A western Michigan restaurant owner was arrested before dawn Friday and hauled to jail, a dramatic turn in a month-long dispute over her persistent refusal to comply with orders and restrictions tied to the coronavirus.

Marlena Pavlos-Hackney, 55, will remain in jail until she pays $7,500 and authorities confirm that Marlena’s Bistro and Pizzeria in Holland, Michigan, is closed, a judge said.

“We don’t want this country to be a communist regime that’s going to dictate what we can do and what we cannot do,” the native of Poland told WOOD-TV on Thursday.”

Last night, Tucker Carlson said the police handcuffed and shackled her. He also, talked about the meeting in Alaska of China and our Secretary of State, Antony Blinken. China said Americans don’t have confidence in our Government; used Black Lives Matter as an example. Chinese still stonewalling on the Corona Virus.

Biden told agents to stop making comments to the origin of the Virus; don’t link the Virus to China.

The L.A. District Attorney, George Gascon is soft on crime. Tucker interview a woman whose husband was a policeman. He was ambushed, and as he was on the ground, the gunman shot him three times in the face and once through his badge. Instead of death, the gunman has been sentenced to 8 years in jail.

It looked like Biden was going to run up the stairs to enter Airforce One, but he fell three times.

Wade Burleson said...

Rex,

I saw that woman. I felt for her.

She feels she is back in her communist country.

How far we have fallen.

Rex Ray said...

Wade,

How far indeed! I wonder if Trump thinks; ‘Do you miss me yet?’

Yesterday, I replaced our Texas flag on the archway I made our Dad over 50 years ago. This morning, got a text from an unknown that I’d put it upside down. Told him I was 89 and had forgotten. He said, “Yeah, I use that excuse too, and I’m 57.”

Judy looked on internet if red goes up or down.

Internet: “Texans that put the red on the top will be deported to New York.”

Rex Ray said...

Wade,

Today’s ‘Outnumbered TV show’ said Putin has challenged Biden to a “Live-on-air Discussion.”

WOW! If that took place, I’m afraid in a ‘battle of the wits’, someone would come only half prepared.

Paul D said...

@Wade

"the truth gets in the way"

Are you saying that Trumps overtly racist comments have absolutely nothing to do with an increase in violent acts targeted at Asian Americans? Just like his calls for action had absolutely nothing to do with a targeted attack on our duly elected representatives in the Capitol?

This is another fine example of a strawman fallacy - perhaps Wade is correct about the Atlanta killings: "The Atlanta murders had nothing to do with race."

That's a whole other argument than letting Trump off the hook for an increase in violence against Asian Americans - shoot, against all Americans for that matter.

thanks
Paul

thanks
Paul

Paul D said...

Just for reference - here is a balanced position taken by another church:

"Although the Atlanta police authorities say it is too early in the investigation to know if the victims were targeted because of their race or ethnicity, we do know that there are 3,800 reported incidents of verbal and physical anti-Asian assaults recorded in the past year in the United States...We also know racist, anti-Asian coronavirus postings were on the Facebook account of the man accused of committing the shootings."

not that hard really.

thanks
Paul

Wade Burleson said...

Paul,

According to the Justice Department, the largest percentage of Asian violence comes from Asians toward Asians and Blacks toward Asians - not whites toward Asians.

I am saying that all racism is ungodly and wrong.

I am also saying that to make "racism" political is unconscionable.

RB Kuter said...

Epoch Times 3/20/2021 article (You won't find this in the leftist-controlled media sources:)

"U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to release additional information about its purchases of organs harvested from aborted human fetuses, according to a recent court filing. Two agencies of the HHS, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), both purchased organs from California-based Advanced Biosciences Resources (ABR) for use in HIV research. ABR partners with Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers to dismember fetuses and sell their parts for research."

"The court noted that ABR could collect more than $2,000 on a single fetus purchased from Planned Parenthood for $60 because ABR sold second-trimester livers, brains, eyes, lungs, and thymi for hundreds of dollars apiece, after tacking on fees for services like shipping and cleaning."

This is the depth of the depravity in which this nation has fallen. "Fetal Farming" for money.

How ludicrous for politicians to claim they are going to lead this nation to "save its soul" when in fact they have murdered the American "soul". It cannot be resurrected because it has reached the height of insensitivity, even for the basic principle of "life" of the innocents. This makes Hitler's "Holocaust" seem like Disney World in comparison.

God will hold us accountable as a nation. Consider writing to your government representatives to see if perhaps you might awaken the consciousness of a few. "Silence is Consent."

Victorious said...

Vatican: OK to get virus vaccines using abortion cell lines

*snip*

The Catholic Church's teaching says that abortion is a grave sin.

The Vatican concluded that "it is morally acceptable to receive COVID-19 vaccines that have used cell lines from aborted fetuses" in the research and production process when "ethically irreproachable" vaccines aren't available to the public. But it stressed that the "licit" uses of such vaccines "does not and should not in any way imply that there is a moral endorsement of the use of cell lines proceeding from aborted fetuses."

*snip*

continues: https://apnews.com/article/europe-coronavirus-pandemic-vatican-city-pope-francis-476fedf6a30e32c4c3d294027dd3c606

Christiane said...

More info:

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/vatican-covid-vaccine/

Christiane said...

The 'value' of even one single human life means that the human person is made in the image and likeness of God, and from this flows the dignity of every single human person.



"Anyone who destroys a human life is considered as if he had destroyed an entire world, and anyone who preserves a human life is considered to have preserved an entire world."
from the Talmud (Sanhedrin 37a)



. . . in Jewish law that preserving human life should overrule any other religious considerations.

For example, if a human life is in danger of ending, then all other teachings in the Torah are overridden and all other laws are put aside to ensure everything is done to try and save the human life.

RB Kuter said...

I don't know, gang. There are indeed so many indicators of the injustice, wickedness, depravity of this nation during this age, like racism, abuse of women, pedophilia, and sex trafficking. But this most recent revelation of not only the on-going slaughter of millions of infants (We long ago became desensitized to that mass murder shrugging it off with lame excuses.) but now the involvement of our government in sanctioning the taking of the lives of these babies to accommodate the profitable wholesale marketing of their body parts is indescribably vicious and heinous.

The assessment of our entire society being complicit in this greatest of sins is proven by the silence of the entire press structure which is burying the reality in its silence and the indifference of those holding political office, all who are sworn to uphold the basic freedom of the rights of citizens to breathe.

Could the horrific scientific experiments upon those held by Hitler's mad doctors ever be considered worse than us? Will God hold us less accountable than Hitler? Indeed, did Sodom and Gomorrah ever deserve more severe payment for their wickedness?

We, God's redeemed children, must at least make apparent our disdain and rejection of the horrendous practice of killing these millions of children. How can we not?

Christiane said...

This helps to provide some clarity:

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2020-12/vatican-cdf-note-covid-vaccine-morality-abortion.html

Scott Shaver said...

Paul, I will say it. Chances are greatest that Trump's rhetoric has absolutely no bearing upon whether or not lunatics choose to do stupid things.

Absolutely none.

RB Kuter said...

Christiane's reference link says in its coverage regarding the Vatican's acceptance of vaccines using aborted fetal cells; “all vaccinations recognized as clinically safe and effective can be used in good conscience with the certain knowledge that the use of such vaccines does not constitute formal cooperation with the abortion from which the cells used in production of the vaccines derive.”

This reminds me of the conflict in the argument for protecting elephants from getting killed for their tusks, "It's okay to buy ivory knowing that it came from elephants killed by poachers but know that we don't approve of the killing of elephants."

Hence, when the market for ivory is allowed, elephants get poached.

The Vatican has really been through a tough time of it this week, what's with the issue on homosexual marriages and such. The Vatican says that homosexual marriage can't be blessed but individuals in a homosexual marriage can be blessed saying, "God does not and cannot bless sin," (CNN)

The CNN report goes on to say: "The statement says that gays and lesbians, as individuals, may receive a blessing if they live according to Church teaching", which is, 'It is not licit to impart a blessing on relationships or partnerships, even stable, that involve sexual activity outside of marriage, as is the case of the unions between persons of the same sex,' the statement said."

So, I "think" the Vatican is saying, it is sin when anyone is having any sort of sexual activity if they are not "married" and since the Vatican does not acknowledge that homosexuals can be in a legitimate marriage it is a sin for them to have any sexual activity, right?

But CNN went on to say, "Last year, it seemed that Francis had advocated for civil union laws for same-sex couples when he gave an interview for a documentary.
'Homosexual people have a right to be in a family. They're children of God and have a right to a family.' But the Vatican quickly rowed back from those remarks, saying they had been taken out of context and did not indicate a change in doctrine. This article has been corrected to reflect that the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith referred to same-sex unions, not homosexuality itself, as a "sin" and a "choice."

Whew! Let's see, homosexual marriage is sin and homosexuals involved in sexual activity outside of marriage are sinning but homosexuality is not a sin. Bottom-line, it's not a sin to be a homosexual if you don't get sexually active with anyone and you don't get married?

This is the dilemma churches get into when they avoid boldly reciting what the Bible says and try not to offend people instead. It's a mess.

Sorry, "Unknown", I know I am way off track from the intent of the point of this original post.

Rex Ray said...

RB Kuter,

You said, “I know I am way off track from the intent of the point of this original post.”

I’ll bet I’m farther off than you with this tragic story of killing babies:

A woman told the King of Israel:

“…This woman said to me: “Come on, let’s eat your son today, then we will eat my son tomorrow. So, we cooked my son and ate him. Then the next day I said to her, “Kill your son so we can eat him, but she has hidden her son.” (2 Kings 6:28-29 NLT)

Rex Ray said...

CHRISTIANE,

Yesterday’s ‘Outnumbered TV show’ said Putin has challenged Biden to a “Live-on-air Discussion.”

I wonder if you’d want Trump or someone else to stand in for Biden?

Come on now; give an honest answer. ๐Ÿ˜Š

Lissa Roberson said...

Guys, I want to take this discussion back to the shootings at the Asian Massage Parlors. Massage is a highly trained art in Asia, and Asian massage is a sublime experience if you've ever enjoyed one.

However...it is customary in Asia, and quite possibly here, that the businesses in question offered additional, more sensual "services" in addition to massage. The 21-year old suspect with the self-confessed sexual addiction may well have indulged in those services...then, tormented by his conscience, taken matters into his own hands to eliminate the temptation by carrying out this massacre. If he wanted to, he could have chosen to burn down the buildings in the middle of the night. Instead, he took the path of savagery, gunning down human lives instead.

The latest news reports give us information from Korean officials who have verified that some of the victims are of Korean descent, while the others have yet to be identified. Judging by two of the other names, they are Chinese. I am grieved at one of the ladies' names. Her name is actually a double entendre that can mean either "Little Miss" or "Prostitute". It brought me to tears as soon as I read her name and paired it with an employee of an Asian massage parlor.

With all of the emotion and media attention focused on the Asian hate crime theory, I would give a measure of credibility to the young man's testimony, far-fetched as it may strike us these days.

May God have mercy on the grieving families of the victims, on the young man who now faces multiple homicide convictions, and his parents who must watch their son live out a future they never would have fathomed nor wished for him.

RB Kuter said...

First of all, Christiane, I want to apologize for not being sensitive in my speaking to the difficult time the Vatican has had dealing with issues that are extremely challenging for all ministers in churches these days. As I reflect on my speaking to the Vatican's addressing the issue of homosexual marriage, etc., I don't believe I could have done any better as the leader of the world's largest congregation, even if I tried. I am sorry, though, for not being more respectful.

Rex Ray, you are right in pointing out the inhumane manner present in humanity since the time of the first sin. It's nothing new at all. I would have hoped that we might have evolved to a bit higher level, though, than the times of the mothers' eating their children. At least they had "hunger" to use as an excuse for killing the innocents. What meaningful excuse could we offer to God for our atrocities of slaughtering millions of infants and now for the apparent purpose of making a profit from the sale of their body parts?

Lisa, I don't think that anyone can offer a genuine rationale for the acts of someone having a mind and mental condition so demented as to buy a gun, go to three different places and shoot victims in the head who have never intentionally threatened or harmed the killer. I see no reason to exaggerate the ethnicity of the victims in an attempt to attribute the man's action to his hating their race of people. But that argument does faciliate the agenda of others who would use it for their own personal agenda.

Rex Ray said...

CHRISTIANE,

We’ve swapped bear stories in the past, and maybe it’s time for a break.

Bear Story from a Woman’s Point of View by Belle Ray
Six weeks after I married Rex Ray, I met his parents for the first time in Fairbanks, Alaska. I had agreed to teach school with Rex and his parents in a small fishing village at King Cove, Alaska. I’d heard ‘stories’ about his father, Dave, that had me worried. We talked almost to midnight. Dave said our room needed a window. Sure enough, that first night with a few hours’ sleep, a chainsaw ripped a four-foot hole through a log wall a few feet from my head at four in the morning. It was Dave making a window.

A few days later, Rex came to get his mother, Elizabeth and me to join Dave and Rex’s brother, Hez on a moose hunt. They’d found a cabin we could stay in. It was a two-hour drive on a trail only for jeeps, but they’d made it in our car. Rex had gotten stuck twice coming to get us, but with the aid of a bumper jack had made it. He drove faster than I wanted him to, but he claimed if we slowed down, we’d get stuck.

He explained in the daytime there was no problem where the lake started in high grass, but since we would be arriving at night, he had propped up some dead trees where to stop. That really had me worried but not as much as when he started yelling, “Where’d the road go?” We hadn’t seen his trees and the car plowed to a stop in water up to the floorboard. We waded to shore, found the rowboat, and paddled to the cabin.

Hez slept on the floor and the rest of us slept in a large bed. I thought it can’t get any worse than this, but little did I know. Not having an alarm clock, Dave said he would wake us up at the right time before sunrise to go hunting. “Get up! Feet on the floor! Rise and shine!”

Elizabeth started cooking some breakfast until someone looked at a watch and said, “We’ve only been asleep two hours! We went back to bed with Dave saying he thought it was time to get up. No one gave him any sympathy.

When we did get up, Dave said he would work on getting the car out of the lake. Hez and Rex rowed the boat and me across the lake to where they’d made a wobble tree stand. They said Dave had gone to sleep in the stand the night before and a cow moose had stopped under the tree moving her ears back forth listening to Dave snore. I could understand her concerns as only being exhausted can one sleep in the same room with him. Years later, while visiting Rex’s parents our young daughter rushed into our room in the middle of the night crying, “There’s a lion in the house!”

I felt much safer where I was than joining them twenty feet off the ground until Hez started yelling he saw a bear. I almost flew up that ladder where I got a lot of instructions to watch the bear with binoculars and let them know which way he ran.

The bear could run fast on the tundra while all they did was stagger and fall. Even though the bear was about a mile away when I heard Rex shoot, I heard the bear’s growl. I was glad he ran away from Rex, but he ran towards Hez and me.

The bear laid down in some bushes. They walked almost on top of the bear before he jumped up on his hind legs. They both shot about the same time and the bear ran toward me again. They kept repeating the process. After I counted nine shots, I thought that was the toughest bear in the world or they were the world’s worst shooters.

Hez’s gun had run out of bullets, and was walking behind Rex. They were close to the tree stand when I saw Rex shoot the bear, but the gun bolt came out of the gun. The bear looked at him for some long seconds. I thought I was going to be a young widow. But the bear ran away. When they found him, he’d gone to bear-heaven.

Christiane said...

REX RAY,

now that's a GREAT bear story for a Monday morning! I can never have too many great stories . . . yesterday I spoke with my son in Alaska who is to head over to Kodiak for a few days to conduct some training for someone and I said to him: "Kodiak!" "Oh no, that's where they have those huge bears. You stay away from them bears" and he said 'No Mom, don't worry. I'm going to a Coast Guard base. Very safe.'

Now my son is a big person, at six' four", but those bears are taller when they 'stand up' on their back legs. And the bears are faster, and, and, well anyway, this is one mom who will be glad when her son leaves Kodiak. :)

Yes, I love a good bear story. Most of my 'bear' stories have been when my New England cousins hid in blueberry bushes in the mountains and growled so I would think it was a bear, and go running down the mountain . . . . now THOSE are memories :)

Was however true that bears did come around my Aunt Rhoda's place up off of Hawley Rd. near Charlemont, off the Mohawk Trail in MA. Auntie Rhoda's bears were not grizzlies or kodiak bears, no, but they were still BEARS. And my cousins Ronald and Larry KNEW I was scared of them and boy howdy did they like to frighten me. :)

Thanks for another great story. It starts the week off well and I'm grateful.



Christiane said...

Good Morning Lissa,

I was thinking about that young man, that maybe he had some kind of psychotic break with reality, as some of the stories about his circumstances point to him being in 'crisis' in his life. (?) That he was conflicted is a 'given'. I hope they do some kind of psychiatric evaluation in his case.

Good Morning, Mr. Kuter
I value that people can speak openly if possible. I am not offended by a person's honest voice, even though I might disagree with them from time to time, or just even see things in a different way. Always good to want for people to speak in their own voices, as that is what can help others to understand them better. It's the chance to understand someone that I value very highly indeed.

RB Kuter said...

Rex Ray, what a GREAT story and hilarious! I'm so glad you have the details of those events to share. Your family is so unique and genuine, but then, it must be to have put together someone like Rex Ray who designs and builds those unbelievable, HUGE carnival swings and rides for his grandkids!

Your stories would make great Hollywood movies. Wonder what actors would be cast for the parts?

Rex Ray said...

RB Kuter,

My 3-year-old Great Granddaughter is 695 on the 40-foot-high slide list. If Wade, holds a revival here, wonder if he’ll go down. ๐Ÿ˜Š

This is my side of the story on “being the world’s worst shooters”.

Hez had left his .308 rifle in the boat, but wanted to go on the tundra behind the bear. So, he took my Army 30-06 that had the largest bullets made, and I got his. While he stumbled on the tundra, I covered that mile a lot faster on sand. Brush had grown to the edge of the lake which made it easy not to be seen.

The bear would catch a fish, take it into the brush and eat. At 80 yards, I sat on the beach; braced my arms on my knees, and waited for the bear.

Isaiah 59:11 New Living: “You roar like hungry bears…” I believe a wounded bear roars a LOT louder. (The hair ‘stood up’ on the back of my neck.)

He disappeared in thick brush. Hez yelled, “Did you kill him, did you kill him?”

“No, I wounded him; he’s out there where you are.”

I finely overcame fear and entered the brush. I stopped when I saw him lying in a hole. I told Hez I’d found the bear, but he didn’t hear me. He came up, and we walked toward the bear. Hez jumped two feet in the air; “THERE HE IS.”

“Yeah, I think he’s dead. Why don’t you shoot him and make sure.” (We’d not shot anything bigger than a rabbit, and I thought it’d be good for him.)

“I can’t see his head; all I see is fur.”
The bear jumped out of the hole; looking like a mountain. We both shot, and he disappeared in the direction of Belle. I ran after him and found him laying down. He stood up facing me. I shot him point blank, and discovered the rifle was empty, but I had a .45 pistol. He ran again toward Belle.

Hez came up with my gun in one hand and the gun bolt in the other. (It was an army gun, and in one position it would only allow one shot to be fired for a rifle range.)

“Do you have any more bullets for your gun?”
“No.”
“We’re trading guns. Take this pistol and find the bear. Don’t shoot him, but wait till I get there. Remember the pistol is our ‘back-up safety gun.”

While I’m getting the bolt back in the gun, I heard Hez yelling: “I’m going to slow him down!” He emptied the pistol! (Maybe that’s why after I put the bolt in, I didn’t put the lock on to keep it in.)

The bear had laid down about 30 yards from Belle. He faced us when we arrived, and I shot him point blank. I yanked the bolt back for another bullet, but it came out of the gun. We stared at each other as I failed over and over to get it in. A ‘voice’ was saying, “You’re dead if you don’t get it in.” I finely looked down and got it in. When I looked up, the bear was gone.

Rex Ray said...

The following year, a friend of my brother was fishing where I first shot the bear. His wife was in the cabin and heard him shoot. She saw a bear attack him, but he managed to get in the boat where he died. Without a boat she was stranded until three days later, when some friends found her.

Another story: Hez and I were 15 and weighed less than a hundred pounds. We lived near Red River. We decided to teach our two 13-year-old cousins to swim; Frank Jenkins and James Ray Hicks. James had two brothers that went with us. Claude Earl had been in the Navy, and David was 32, but couldn’t swim.

Red River was high, so we found a creek and went upstream to find a shallow place. Hez was swimming about ten yards ahead of me. I was swimming under the others that were on a five-foot bank. At the bottom of the bank there was a three-foot ledge of dirt before it became deep water.

The two young ones were laughing and cutting up. Frank pushed James off the bank, but was grabbed and both fell close enough to grab me. Their heads were above water, but mine wasn’t. Before I ran out of air, I went to the bottom and they let go of me.

I remembered Uncle Don saying, “Don’t let anybody drown.” I’d laughed but now I believed someone was going to die. I came up to see Claude helping his brother, but Frank strangled him. Claude barely made it to the ledge.

James was trying to swim, but his head was under. I pulled his head up several times as I’d lose my grip on his short hair.

Hez told Frank, “Don’t grab me and I’ll save you.” He was still talking when Frank sunk him. Strangled, Hez quit rescuing and went to the ledge.

While I was struggling with James, I saw Frank in the deep water and HALF HIS BODY WAS OUT OF THE WATER. I was dumfounded as I hadn’t seen what happened. Frank was yelling. “HELP, HELP, SOMEBODY SAVE DAVID!”

While holding on to Johnson grass, David had reached out to help Frank. Instead of letting David pull him out, Frank yanked hard and the grass pulled loose. David climbed down Frank till he was standing on the bottom holding Frank’s feet on his shoulders. That’s when I saw Frank yelling. David passed out, after shoving Frank to the ledge.

I got James to the ledge and I thought everyone was OK. We were all coughing water except Frank. I don’t think he swallowed one drop.

Someone said, “Where’s David?” No one knew, but Frank pointed toward the creek and said, “He’s out there!”

In a moment, David floated to the top. His face was purple, but his nose never got above water. He sank out of sight.

Hez and I found him about two feet under. As we were getting him to the ledge, he came to and said really slow, “Am I causing you any trouble.” There were no more swimming lessons.

Christiane said...

More great stories. Thanks REX RAY.

your stories help in these days of sadness over the suffering of so many

Rex Ray said...

CHRISTIANE,

Thank you! Many watched the trial of OJ, but more will be watching the televised trial of the death of George Floyd that starts March 29.

Not long after the ‘swim lesson’, this happened:

There were a lot of us swimming in Red River. Our father had returned from being a Chaplain in World War II. He stayed on the front the whole war and never lost in wrestling. His 210 pounds was solid muscle and he was strong as an ox. He was our hero.

I crossed the river where it was deep, narrow, and fast. I swam with the current and it was easy. Our father decided to join me but tried to swim upstream. The river got wide, and the current took him farther away.

I followed on the bank. We were about 200 yards from the others. I was admiring how he could swim so long and hard until he yelled, “HELP ME”. He was exhausted. No one could hear him but me.

I ran upstream to where the current would take me to him, but he thought I was running away. He called: “PLEASE HELP ME”

The current took me to him in a few seconds. He kept his hand on my shoulder. He could have sunk me like a bug, but he didn’t apply much pressure. I started angling downstream to the bank a hundred yards away. In a panic, he yelled. “GO TO THE BANK” (It was 50 feet upstream.) I yelled, “I AM”.

When we got to the bank, he laid on the sand a long time. Finally, he said. “I wouldn’t have made it without you.”

RB Kuter said...

GREAT stories, Rex Ray! Life is amazing, ain't it!?!

Paul D said...

@Scott

"...I will say it. Chances are greatest that Trump's rhetoric has absolutely no bearing upon whether or not lunatics choose to do stupid things.

Absolutely none."



Appreciate your comment. I understand what you are saying, and I couldn't point out our difference in opinion more clearly than what you have.

I think Trump's rhetoric gave lunatics enough confidence and feeling of support to actually do stupid things instead of just talk about doing stupid things. There's a certain amount of inertia that really gained a lot of energy with Trump's 2016 campaign rhetoric, and it got us to the point of an armed attack on the Capitol. Wade may very well be correct that the Atlanta killings are a different breed of violence than what Trump's rhetoric has encouraged, but I still thinks it's pretty difficult to distance a lot of the stupid acts of violence from Trumpism.


thanks
Paul

Christiane said...

Hello Paul D

do you have any insights into the strange connection between fundamentalist-evangelicals and trumpism ?

there must be reasons, but I'm not able to sort it out, although some have tried to 'explain' it to me . . . . still doesn't make much sense to me, no


Paul D said...

@Christiane

I couldn't begin to put a dent in the thousands of factors involved. But who am I not to take a stab at it anyway?

I think at best the reason is pro-life - a person will vote for a party/platform regardless of the person/leader. That kinda makes sense to me, but as I've said before, it allows a million other evils to go unchecked.

At worst, the reason is fear. Fear of change and loss of power/status. The best form of this is nostalgia for an America of the past. The worst form is a hate for anything new or diverse.

thanks
Paul

RB Kuter said...

Christiane,
do you have any insights into the strange connection between why Christiane and the leftists raised such a raucous about how mean Trump was to separate children on the border and yet their being in total silence regarding the horrendous conditions Biden's border policies are having in encouraging millions to overwhelm the border and to send accompanied minors by themselves?

there must be reasons, but I'm not able to sort it out, although NONE have tried to 'explain' it to me . . . . still doesn't make much sense to me, no

If you do attempt to offer an excuse, please do not attribute to the bad conditions they are trying to escape from. That would have been the same under either Administration.

Christiane said...

Thank you, Paul

that gives me much to think about

I have been wondering if there was something specific to fundamentalism that aligned with trumpism and if that was part of the reason for the 'connection', but it's way too complex for me to sort out at present

Paul D said...

@Scott

one other thing. We took a little trip over spring break and I was surprised at the number of "Trump 2020" paraphernalia still flying. But what surprised me most was seeing Trump/Pence 2020 bumper stickers with Pence sharpie'ed out. Where would people get the idea to sharpie out Pence's name on an old bumper sticker if it weren't for Trump's rhetoric? Do you think these people, without Trump's rhetoric, would think that Pence had a Constitutional duty to deny approval of the states' election results? Same/same with the lunatics that stormed the Capitol along with thousands of other abuses across the country.

thanks
Paul

Scott Shaver said...

Paul...what I think is is that both you and Christianne suffer from severe and chronic TDS.

It's an illness you know.

Paul D said...

Sorry...I can already hear the complaint of comparing bumper sticker art with Capitol storming. But I am.

A level 3 believer might still be flying a Trump flag. A level 5 believer might Sharpie out Pence's name on a bumper sticker. A level 10 believer storms the Capitol or commits some other abuse against perceived enemies to Trump. It's the rhetoric that got all these people where they are.

thanks
Paul

RB Kuter said...

Muslim terrorist kills 10 in Colorado. No mention of "hate crime".

Border security abandoned.

Borders opened to anyone and everyone choosing to enter and live next door for whatever motive.

Does anyone else have the feeling that we are passengers on an airliner flying at 40,000 feet and the pilot and crew have parachuted out of the plane?

RB Kuter said...

Today's report:

"The family-unit holding cells smell like urine and vomit. Fights break out in the unaccompanied-minor cells. Scabies, lice, the flu, and COVID-19 run rampant.

Up to 80 individuals are squeezed into each 24- by 30-foot cell, and there aren’t enough mattresses for everyone. Sheets of plastic divide the rooms.

“Any diseases that are in there, it’s being kept in there, like a petri dish. The smell is overwhelming,” a Border Patrol agent said, describing the conditions in a facility in south Texas. The agent, Carlos (not his real name), spoke to The Epoch Times on condition of anonymity, for fear of repercussions."

RB Kuter said...

And then there's this:
"Border Patrol agents on the front lines are getting so frustrated that they’re now risking their livelihoods to reveal what’s really going on in the illegal immigrant processing facilities.

One or two agents are left to control 300 to 500 people during a shift. No agent wants to report physical or sexual assaults between the aliens because they’ll get blamed for “letting it happen.” They’re also forced to separate a child from an extended family member because he or she is not a biological parent."

From our leftist, Trump-haters, crickets.

RB Kuter said...

Must have been an ecstatic moment of great bravado to immediately reverse all of those Trump border policies and wall building when first taking office. Quite a "thumb-nosing" gesture of flaunting victory.

But now...consequences are impossible to bury.

Paul D said...

@RB Kuter

you really need to find a news source that is not so flagrant about its agenda. Might I suggest BBC news? In any event, it is interesting that you think Trump is the solution and not, in fact, the cause of this problem.

It really would be nice to live in universe where everything was so simple - build a wall, stop illegal immigration. Unfortunately, we live in a much more complicated universe where rhetoric, racism, bluffs and uniformed policy decisions just make bad situations worse realities.

thanks
Paul

Amy Downey said...

Paul - Thank you for being a voice of reason. I would buy the non-racist argument IF all the women WERE NOT Asian. However, they were. Perhaps, and we may never know, his deviancy involved Asian women but that is still inherently racist.

Paul D said...

@RB Kuter

regarding Boulder shooting. What exactly makes him a "terrorist"? Would you call the Atlanta killer a "terrorist"? Are you suggesting that it was a hate crime? Or that we need stricter gun laws? I'm not clear.

thanks
Paul

Rex Ray said...

RB Kuter,

Born twice: Baby removed from womb for surgery, then returned - CNN

“This baby had a tumor that occurs in one out of every 35,000 births.”

https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2019-05-09-born-twice-baby-removed-returned-to-womb-for-surgery/

This link states the baby was 23 weeks old.

My sister gave me a picture showing the doctor as he used his hands to put the baby back into its mother’s womb; a small hand held on to his finger.

Later, the doctor said he’d never forget the feeling that the baby was saying thanks.

Scott Shaver said...

Paul:

You sound hopelessly lost in the tall weeds of systemic racism in addition to your affliction with TDS.

I don't assign much credibility to folks in that particular boat.

Scott Shaver said...

Christianne, what about those of us who don't follow Talmudic teachings?

Paul D said...

@Scott

to your 3/24/21 7:24am comment. Am I supposed to respond with a meme, or with my feelings? I don't know...you're right, I am lost.

thanks
Paul

RB Kuter said...

Rex Ray, that is an amazing photo of the infant with the doctor's hand holding the infant's finger. I posted it on Twitter the other day following the news of the government's involvement with Planned Parenthood in profiting from the wholesale marketing of body parts from aborted babies. But that report from the court's own records was only shown on "The Epoch Times" so Paul would no doubt reject it given it does not come from the one-sided left press, including BBC.

RB Kuter said...

Paul, do you not recognize the total domination of the press by a one-sided, leftist ideology that totally denies the reality of those events occurring that portray the contradictions to those in power? Does that extreme conformity to the very same agenda and position on all that is reported not give you pause in trusting in them as a source for the information upon which you base your positions? Can you not see the very same manner being used for propaganda purposes that were have been used by all totalitarian regimes since the beginning of time?

This is why America is doomed. It is not so much because of the dominating forces of power that are running rampant over all liberty-minded citizens. It is because of those citizens who continued to be sucked into the mesmerizing music being played by the piper.

Yes, I do quote "The Epoch Times" which is the ONLY source I have found that offers an alternative to the corporate media monsters who all play that same tune of denial of the devastation going on as a result of the leftist agenda while demonizing any and all those who challenge their rule. But "The Epoch Times" quotes its sources and uses credible testimony that validates its reports. It also is the only source whose executive decisions are not made by the corporate giants running ALL of the other media sources.

It is amazing how polarized you and those others rejecting alternative reports are and how your assessments are always against one ideology while blindly following the other no matter what information surfaces. Forget the concept of "blind justice" today!

So go ahead and join in the march to the cliff and jump into the sea. Unfortunately, the wake of your flow is dragging a lot of us others who are fighting against the trend with you.

RB Kuter said...

And Paul said, "It really would be nice to live in universe where everything was so simple - build a wall, stop illegal immigration."

Are you really saying that??!! This is an example of how some are so blind in following the propaganda machine of the left that they cannot see what is so obvious and validated by pure, objective, data and analysis.

Where were you during the Administration of the past 4 years when orchestrated caravans of thousands that were overwhelming our southern borders were stopped?
Where were you when the policies enacted that included the joint cooperative partnership with those Central American countries south of us stopped the flow of those caravans at "their" southern borders prior to their even approaching ours?
Where were you when the numbers of illegal invaders were drastically reduced during those 4 years, the flow of the cartels' products were greatly reduced AND the mistreatment of children and women being used as mules and shields were reduced tremendously?
Where were you when those southern border cities in the US that benefited from the newly constructed wall were celebrating the elimination of illegals pouring into their communities?

I KNOW that your news/media sources, including the BBC, were striving to cover up the effectiveness of those policies which all were subsequently and immediately reversed under today's Administration, but surely you had access to the same credible and even government departments' reports on these matters that I did. Do you simply reject all reports that might be contrary to those of your preference? (Sure hope you have never been a decision-maker in a business who made decisions based upon information that only came from sources giving one-sided opinions.)

"Simple"? Yes, putting a barrier between yourself and danger is a pretty "simple" ideology. Yes, influencing those countries south of us to stop the orchestrated caravans before they reach our borders is "simple" and a basically rational approach.
Yes, announcing and enforcing policies that proclaim that the illegal hordes and masses of those refusing to pursue the legal process of immigration will NOT be allowed to enter our country IS a very simple, sane, legal, and logical method to "avoid" the problem of chaos and out-of-controlled entry now being encouraged.

My question is, "If it is so "simple" and plainly logical, why is it so difficult for you to understand?"

RB Kuter said...

One more response to your comments, Paul; you ARE correct in my misrepresenting the killer in Colorado as a "terrorist" in the sense of the traditional reference to someone violently taking lives and sensationalizing an event to push their ideology or agenda, hence, "Trade Towers/Boston Marathon bombings/Oklahoma bombing", etc.

This guy, as was the guy in Atlanta, are "terrorists" in the sense of their acts creating fear and paranoia in entire communities and the nation, but their agendas and their being part of an orchestrated terrorist structure has not been shown. True, the Colorado killer was born in Syria and his name portrays he is from a Muslim background. I certainly acknowledge that all Americans born in Muslim-dominated nations are not terrorists or part of a militant strategy to dominate the globe.

So for that misrepresentation, I apologize, especially to all Muslims. Thank you for pointing that offensive terminology out to me, Paul. I regret having used it.

By the way, "The Epoch Times" in no way made mention of the killer's origins being associated with Islam or his heinous acts being attributed to that source, so don't go blaming "The Epoc Times" for being biased in that regard.

Rex Ray said...

RB Kuter,

And here I was; thinking I was ahead of you! Ha

Here’s a story I bet you haven’t heard. (My sister told me yesterday.) One day before the preaching started, she went to meet some visitors.

The woman was holding her baby in her lap. The back of the seat in front of them had a ‘Lord’s Supper communion cup that was filled with small beads. The mother didn’t see the baby put some beads in her mouth just as my sister walked up.

My sister knocked the beads off her tongue as she recognized the beads as rat poison. The church had been putting out rat poison, but she never learned how some got where it was.

Thought for the day.

Two donkeys were talking in Jerusalem. One said, “Just yesterday, I was carrying Jesus. The people were singing, shouting, and throwing their clothes down for me to walk on, but today they don’t recognize me.”

Other said, “That’s how it is; without Jesus you’re nothing.”

Paul D said...

@RB Kuter

I have little interest or perhaps ability in discussing the finer points of immigration policy and who is to blame for the current crisis. I think it's Trump and you think it's Biden. Bullet points abound on both sides. What does interest me is the discrepancy in information/analysis sources.

"... total domination of the press by a one-sided, leftist ideology..."

I understand the position, I'm just not prepared to listen to right-wing ideology any more. Right wing used to represent good. I don't think it does any more. And I think history supports horrible evils from both a left philosophy AND a right philosophy. So, when the right-wing became seasoned with fascism and outright misinformation, that's when I was out.

thanks
Paul

Christiane said...

The present state of the Republican Party is so far removed from the honorable conservatives of the past, it is NOT the same party in my opinion.

Somehow the Party crossed a line into fascism. I'm not certain how the Pary will recover from this, but this nation NEEDS a healthy two-party system of government in order to survive. All the extremism, trumpism, and conspiracy theorists have served the interests of our nation's enemies, primarily the Russian Security forces led by Putin, an ex-KGB officer, now a dictator who poisons his opponents.

One interesting thing: the truth came out when Trump's lawyer was sued for slander against the voting machine company, and her defense exposed the classic trumpian contempt for the intelligence of his 'base':
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2021/03/sidney-powells-defamation-defense-nobody-in-their-right-mind-would-believe-my-election-fraud-claims

Gerry Milligan said...

Paul, you said, " I still think it's pretty difficult to distance a lot of the stupid acts of violence from Trumpism." And I say, "you cannot fix stupid"

Paul D said...

@Garry Milligan

lol. too true.
of course, you can put a gun in the hands of stupid, and you can fire up stupid with rhetoric...

thanks
Paul

Rex Ray said...

CHRISTIANE,

Your link had this:

“…primetime host Tucker Carlson…The judge agreed… “given Mr. Carlson’s reputation…”

CHRISTIANE, do you watch Carlson’s TV show? The other day, he was comparing ‘Kids in cages’ to their present lodging. Said they had mats to sleep on, but were so crowed, they had to lay on their sides.

RB Kuter said...

Paul said, "What does interest me is the discrepancy in information/analysis sources. '... total domination of the press by a one-sided, leftist ideology...'"
also;
"I have little interest or perhaps ability in discussing the finer points of immigration policy and who is to blame for the current crisis. I think it's Trump and you think it's Biden."

Really? Even a Federal Judge points out that our Press has become so dominated by the Democratic side of things so as to diminish the principles of the freedom of the press. Can you really deny that? It's to the point that if ANY source proposes coverage that exposes things embarrassing or exposes the actions/events supported by the "left" it is considered to be un-credible and unqualified regardless of the genuine integrity of its executive board and publishers.

To me, brother Paul, this type of response seems to flee from the willingness to intelligently and logically dialogue in a manner that supports both of our perspective on matters.

There is value in doing that (dialoguing from both perspectives) if we desire for our position to be seriously considered by someone with an alternative view as having some validity. This is how we grow and develop. To bury our heads in the sand when confronted with a position alternative to ours without having a valid reason is to be consistent with the saying, "Being insane is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

We're not discussing the "finer points of immigration". We're discussing the most basic, elementary, fundamental, premises of national sovereignty, defined national borders, national security, and collateral policies associated with the motives for the alternative policies on immigration; i.e., the integrity of the electoral process, the distribution of social security and welfare, the stewardship of education resources, the resistance to the influx of illegal contraband, international cartel operations with its pursuit of dominating our entire judicial system and law enforcement as it has achieved in Mexico. The "immigration" question involves the trafficking of sex slaves, the abuse and murder of children and those desperately depending upon those cartel monsters who are raping, murdering, forcing victims into being narcotics mules, and forcing them to pay tolls of $5,000 to use their illegal tunnels and avenues for entry into the US.

There is as much difference in the approach between the former Administration's immigration policies and this Administration's as night and day, light and darkness. There is nothing at all subtle or questionable about that to anyone seeking to assess the truth objectively. The differences are very apparent and I just would like to know how you justify supporting those currently being applied. Shrugging it off by responding, "Oh, the past Administration made mistakes too." has no value as an explanation for supporting the horror and destruction that is taking place today.

The problem may be that we have become so enamored with one political ideology as opposed to the other that we are completely blind in a way that cripples us from even being able to distinguish what is logical and what is not. I honestly am willing to consider the logic of your position. Just tell me why you think it is the best way to do things, please.

RB Kuter said...

Rex Ray said, " “That’s how it is; without Jesus you’re nothing.”

That is so very true. He's really all that matters, and all that matters must be in harmony with Him.

Rex Ray said...

I believe these are some things Trump helped America.

Nasdaq hits 9K for first time, S&P 500 sets all-time high in year-end rally (cnbc.com)

“Stocks climbed Thursday, hitting record highs as the market rallied into the end of 2019.”

“Chinese Commerce Ministry said China is in close touch with the U.S. on signing the initial trade pact. President Donald Trump said Tuesday the deal is “getting done”.”

“U.S. weekly jobless claims decreased 13,000 to a seasonally adjusted 222,000 for the week ended Dec. 21, the Labor Department said Thursday.”

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/12/04/food-stamps-trump-administration-tightens-snap-work-requirements/2608297001/

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said the food stamp program "was never intended to be a way of life."

“The new rule, which was finalized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, restricts states from exempting certain "work-eligible adults" without dependents from the steady employment requirement in order to receive SNAP benefits.”

Would I be a racist if I believe many Black men stopped living on food stamps and went to work? And I believe they enjoyed life better, and had more self-respect.

Paul D said...

@RB Kuter

I get it. Can't really respond very well to immigration specific stuff without basically grabbing bullet points from sources, so I'll certainly consider what you are saying.

But, again, I find this terribly interesting:

"The problem may be that we have become so enamored with one political ideology.."

I 100% agree with you. The only problem is that I'm not the one that is enamored with a political celebrity, or even a political ideology. I don't trust the left any more than you do. I'm certainly not here to defend Biden. But I can say the same thing for the right also.

thanks
Paul

RB Kuter said...

Thank you for your patience and tolerance with my choice of speech which can often display assumptions that are not founded.

Paul D said...

@Rex Ray

yes

thanks
Paul

Paul D said...

@Rex

I think the real answer is obvious, but for grins I will say that in Texas:

white food stamps recipients = 304k
black food stamps recipients = 261k

children far outnumber any other age group.

thanks
Paul

Scott Shaver said...

Christianne, learm the true meaning of "facism" and xomare it to what your liberal progressive icons are cirrently doing.

Doesn't take much of a brain to see who the real "fascists" are in America today.

And it's not those who voted for or favor Trump.

Rex Ray said...

On food stamps.

I heard a Walmart clerk say, “I’m sorry, but you can’t buy dog food with food stamps.”

The lady told her son, “Take this back and get two pounds of meat. Our dog likes that better anyway.”

Rex Ray said...

CHRISTIANE,

I challenge you to see any of these TV shows: Tucker Carlson, Hannity, Outnumbered, or
Ingrham Angle to see out how America has declined on the Texas Mexico border under Joe Biden.

Christiane said...

'fascism', as I intend the meaning of the word, would refer to the alt-right supporters of trumpism, for example, these:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1o6-bi3jlxk

Christiane said...

Good Morning, REX RAY

have you seen the 'Carlson Defense'? :)

let me explain

when Tucker Carlson was SUED for slander, the judge decided this:


https://www.npr.org/2020/09/29/917747123/you-literally-cant-believe-the-facts-tucker-carlson-tells-you-so-say-fox-s-lawye

Christiane said...

REX RAY,

we all love to have our ears tickled, but in the end, sometimes people are going to be held 'accountable' for what they say by those they have 'slandered'

Tucker Carlson got off easily, when sued for slander by Trump's girlfriend whom he paid to keep quiet about their affair,

but recently, Trump's lawyer, Sydney Powell, tried the same 'defense' when she was sued by the Dominion voting machine people for slander,
and it didn't work for her the same way.

'Free speech' allows for a lot. But Sydney Powell who was acting as an attorney, was a different situation from the Fox News pundits. When she said 'no one in their right mind would believe my lies on Trump's behalf', it didn't work for her.

'Actionable' facts are what courts respect. When lawyers come into court with what they CLAIM are 'facts', but have no evidence, then the cases are usually dismissed.
Attorney Powell pushed a narrative concerning Dominion's voting machines being responsible for Trump' loss at the polls, saying the machines were built to be corrupted. So she had no evidence. NONE. But case after case was presented and thrown out, and the media covered her words on behalf of 'the Big Lie', so Dominion sued her and others for slander. Big time slander.

Hyperbole, opinion, shock-jock talk is permitted apparently on certain networks by those known to be 'pundits';
but attorneys going into courts of law are not in the same 'category', and the attorneys are bound by professional codes of ethics.

so, for Powell, the 'defense' of 'no one in their right mind would believe my claims anyway' fell short

REX RAY, I'm glad you enjoy watching those shows, but take them with a grain of salt.
Remember the 'Carlson/Fox News Defense' about 'people in their right minds' and take a look around at OTHER sources to check out what is 'fact' from what is 'opinion'.

It's not easy to do, no. But these days, it's important. Sydney Powell acted like a shock-jock in court and got sued. She tried the Carlson defense and it didn't work for her. When people have to defend themselves by calling their believers 'not in their right minds', you know they have contempt for them what believe their lies.
The other word for what they do is called 'manipulation'. In any form, it is something to be aware of and to protect oneself from. 'just sayin'.

Christiane said...

CORRECTION:

"Tucker Carlson got off easily, when sued for slander by Trump's girlfriend whom Trump's lawyer paid to keep quiet about an affair Trump had with her"

sorry for any confusion :)

Paul D said...

@Scott Shaver

"...true meaning of "facism"..."

yeah, all those neo-nazi liberal progressives on the far right are the real problem.

thanks
Paul

Rex Ray said...

CHRISTIANE,

I’m impressed with your response about Tucker Carlson. Once, I wrote him he was wrong when he said Oswald killed Kennedy. (Judy and I still believe he speaks truth, and watch all his shows.)

Can you find any ‘dirt’ on the others that we consider a good source?

I believe some people feel important if they can find fault with great people. (An example is Jesus.)

Did you read this in your link?

“DHS Data Shows Minors Crossing Border at Faster Pace as TV Crew Tours Texas Shelter.”

RB Kuter said...

Guys, I honestly do not receive a commission from "The Epoch Times" and am not trying to promote their sales, but really need to ask, "Do you seek any alternatives from the mainstream media sources that collectively promote one, exclusive, conformity-based, agenda that promotes their own ideology at the expense of your having zero coverage on other very important events going on?"

For example, check out these extremely important events taking place which shed an entirely different light on matters than you will never find in the mainstream media:

"President Andres Manuel Lopez Obradot said at a March 23 press conference that Biden has caused the surge at the U.S.-Mexico border. 'Expectations were created that with President Biden's government, there would be a better treatment of migrants. This has caused Central American migrants, and also from our country, to want to cross the border thinking that it is easier to do so.' he said."

or

"Congress Told Not to Brand Christians in Military as Extremists. A slide used in the Department of Defense training manual identifies Catholics and evangelical Christians as 'religious extremists' along with members of the Ku Klux Klan, al-Qaeda, and Hamas, according to a Marine Corps Officer.' Michale Berry told the House Armed Services Committee, during a hearing on March 24 titled 'Extremism in the Military'."

or

"The Supreme Court seemed skeptical of government arguments that the 'community caretaking exception to the Fourth Amendment's warrant requirement should be expanded to allow police to seize guns without a warrant in a person's home. The case comes as President Joe Biden and congressional Democrats press for aggressive new restrictions on Second Amendment gun ownership rights including controversial 'red flag' laws, which allow gun seizures from law-abiding gun owners with limited due process, in the wake of highly publicized deadly mass shootings."

and, although coming from "Fox News" (which apparently, as contended by Rex Ray, continues to offer "some" alternative perspectives):

"HOMICIDES' SPIKE ACROSS THE COUNTRY
Year to Date Change

Atlanta 41%
Chicago 22%
Minneapolis 75%
Portland 700%"


(Obviously, the anarchists are celebrating the progress of their intended overthrow of the American system.)

These are all critical issues that have a direct impact on "your" liberty, security, peace, and Godly principles. Surely we can put aside some of those prejudiced, biased, commitments enough to allow in a smidgin of credible, alternative, reports that can remove the blinders that keep us ignorant and susceptible to the control of a totalitarian regime's propaganda machine.

Paul D said...

@RB Kuter

I am trying to listen. Regarding Christians being identified as extremists. That is very concerning. It seems that the whole thing is a result of an internal military order following the Capitol mob to root out extremists from the military. In light of the strong and sometimes very vocal support of Trump by many Christian communities and leaders, it is really not all that surprising though. I think the best thing Evangelical Christianity and Catholics could do is put as much distance between themselves and Trump as possible. Unfortunately, the opposite seems to be true.

If a significant portion of the Christian community continues to be associated with conspiracy theories and alt-right movements, I think we can expect a whole lot more of this type of thing.

thanks
Paul

Paul D said...

@RB Kuter

again, I am trying to listen. I could not find the homicide spike article you referenced, but it seems that increases in homicide have been pretty well documented in the last 12 months by mainstream media as well. Generally seems to be attributable to pandemic and defund police movements. Both outgoing and incoming admins are against defunding police.

I don't necessarily have the data to back it up, but if you are comparing Jan-Mar 2020 data with Jan-Mar 2021 data - shoot, yeah, doesn't seem surprising that there would be a huge discrepancy. Or...if you have an upward trending line beginning in 2020 and continuing in 2021...I just don't see how this is attributable to Biden's "overthrow".

thanks
Paul

Rex Ray said...

It 'Might Take Weeks' To Free Ship Stuck In Suez Canal : NPR

“Eight large tugboats were continuing a struggle to free a giant container ship lodged crossways in the Suez Canal after the vessel ran aground earlier this week, bringing transit through one of the world's busiest waterways to a halt.
The Suez Canal Authority said in a statement Thursday that it had officially suspended traffic while efforts to dislodge the 1,300-foot (almost half a mile; made in Japan) Ever Given continued. The salvage operator working to free the ship said it could be weeks before it is re-floated — raising the possibility of major new disruptions to global commerce just as supply chains have begun to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.”

You might ask why is this important to us. (Stopping ships that supply oil, may make the price of gasoline go up.)

‘Outnumbered’ announced President Biden will have his first Press Conference in one hour.

RB Kuter said...

Paul D., that homicide spike displayed comes from a Fox News Report showing "YTD MARCH 2021 VS YTD MARCH 2020".

".I just don't see how this is attributable to Biden's "overthrow."

Pardon me if I ever attributed all that we are going through and seeing as being due to President Biden. It is not. It is an entire movement to derail and overthrow the basic tenements of the United States by a conglomerate consisting of those holding a socialist-Marxist ideology that is pushing for a globalist application of their agenda.

I don't see Biden as a significant factor. By no means would I propose President Biden to personally be spear-heading anything or creating and driving any strategy.

Paul D.: " I think the best thing Evangelical Christianity and Catholics could do is put as much distance between themselves and Trump as possible."

Now that is a troubling proposal for a solution. In essence, it says, "In order to not be identified as an 'extremist' Evangelical, distance yourself from a leader who supports Evangelicals.'"

Following that logic train, "In order to not be accused of being an 'extremist' Evangelical, distance yourself from Jesus Christ."

This video clip supports that very same logic train:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CN_ZyiNiJr4

RB Kuter said...

Rex Ray, I watched the Press Conference and was seriously relieved to see our President functioning well and apparently strong and pretty healthy. That's a good thing. Yes, pretty well scripted but still, no significant stumbles. Must pray for him.

Rex Ray said...

RB Kuter, I agree. Judy and I were talking how well Biden did in answering questions that were fairly embarrassing. (He used notes in his pocket.}

Not everything he said was true, but he pretty much got by with it.

Paul D said...

RB Kuter

"Trump...Jesus"

respectfully, that would all make perfect sense if Trump were the messiah, or even a good guy.

regarding the homicide spike, comparing YTD 2021 to YTD 2020 for same time period...I think there is also a significant drop in attendance at sporting events and concerts. I wonder if the conglomerate consisting of those holding a socialist-Marxist ideology that is pushing for a globalist application of their agenda is to blame for that too.

thanks
Paul

Christiane said...

the golden calf ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nddgsAspAk

Paul D said...

@Christiane
that is pure gold. Jumped out of the fire on its own.

@government overlords
please be advised...not ALL Christians are willing to make a connection between Trump and Jesus.

thanks
Paul

Paul D said...

@RB Kuter

I do love you. If Trump could pronounce two Timothy I might not be so upset about it. At least Biden goes inside the doors of a church.

thanks
Paul

Scott Shaver said...

Christianne, you can arbitrarily assign labels to whoever you want. Doesn't make it true or consistent with either the history or meaning of the label.

You can call birds cats, but the label doesn't change the reality of feathers instead of fur.

RB Kuter said...

Paul D, it is frustrating to communicate with anyone who flagrantly distorts the intent of a comment.

You said; "
" I think the best thing Evangelical Christianity and Catholics could do is put as much distance between themselves and Trump as possible."
as being your remedy for my comment that Catholics and evangelicals are being classified as dangerous "extremists" by the government and put in the same category as Ku Klux Klan.

That insinuates to me that you are saying that Evangelicals should not support the candidate they see as most consistently advocating their interests because he is seen as a threat to the established government. This logic then proposes that Evangelicals instead, support those politicians that support abortion, homosexual marriage, gender fluidity, open borders, etc., in order to not be classified as "extremists" by the "establishment-liberals" due to their opposition.

I stated that your logic proposes that Evangelicals hide their principles and go underground as a means to cloak their principles and commitment to Godly priorities.

To do what you suggest, "abandon support for the candidate they believe best represents their Christ-based principles in order to not attract persecution", would be like "abandoning our allegiance to Jesus Christ (as proposed by Bernie in that video, if you watched it) in order to not be classified as "extremists" by the leftist-controlled government due radical nature of our devotion to Him.

You totally pervert my comment and propose that I in some manner compare Trump with Jesus Christ!

This is a vivid portrayal of the left. Somehow the hate for Trump, due most likely to the paranoia and "fear" of his being invincible, like Super Man, eliminates the ability to dialogue objectively and to have a rational perspective. The only response to reasonable proposals inconsistent with this hate motive is to pervert those propositions by flagrant misrepresentations of what is being said. Again, that video with Bernie and the Evangelical is a direct case in point.

It disappoints me regarding you, Paul. While proposing that you are somehow different than the typical tunnel-vision leftists suggesting that you consider viewpoints from diverse perspectives, you follow the very same line of embedded commitment and use the same tactics to defend your ground.

That's fine for you to do. If I take offense it is due to your outright, wicked, perverting my statement to say that I am comparing Trump to Jesus. THAT is uncivil and certainly not "Christ-like"; i.e.
"not ALL Christians are willing to make a connection between Trump and Jesus"

You are welcome to continue to support those who promote those un-Godly pursuits in government. I suppose your motive may be to avoid being identified as one of us "Evangelicals" who do not compromise devotion to those Godly mandates of the treasure of "life", sanctified marriage, and acknowledgment of God's created order so as to not be classified as an "extremist".

Don't be embarrassed by your choice and propose you are something else. Be proud of your commitment.

Scott Shaver said...

Funny Christianne: in an age when law suits are filed hourly at about the same rate illegal aliens cross the border, you fail to mention the current status or pending actual outcomes of these particular "legal actions" you reference.

Scott Shaver said...

They ("neo-nazi liberal progressives") may not be the whole "problem" Paul, but there's no escaping the eyeball evidence of their disdain for the founding, history, and civil operation of the U.S. under it's original design and function.

No denying the similarity of their current trajectory with the history of totalitarian and socialist regimes around the world.

They spit upon the graves of our forefathers without respect for ethnicity, "social justice" the common welfare of workers, the plight of the poor etc.

Paul D said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Paul D said...

@RB Kuter

ok - I hear you. I understand the position you are outlining. And I misrepresented you. I could have made my point in a much less offensive way, and for that I do apologize and ask your forgiveness.

If I may rephrase, I should have said:

Not ALL Christians are willing to make a connection between Trump and Christian principles.

While I understand that Trump was/is a leader of a platform which includes some Christian principles, he represents much that I would not put in a Christian category.


thanks
Paul

Scott Shaver said...

Rex, I think both Christianne and Paul would blame rats for feeding in fried chicken restaraunt dumpsters๐Ÿ˜Ž

Scott Shaver said...

Easy Gerry.

Folks that buy into your line og thinking.

Scott Shaver said...

"Unknowns" perhaps should always expect unexpected twists and surprises beyond "expectation"...would be my thought.

Scott Shaver said...

Christianne: "Investigations" are as numerous, ongoing, and more irrelevant to current reality than sands uponnthe seashore.

Talk to us about facts and outcome of these "investigations".

Scott Shaver said...

Amy: only if alleged "voices of reason" are contradictory and totally unsubstantiated with exponentially worse happening for Americans under a 2 month old regime?

Get real.

Scott Shaver said...

And therein, Paul, lies the glaring difference in both our cultural idealogies and ethical systems of influence...

I do not hold individuals responsible for the individual guilt or sin of others in which they had no volitional role.

A judgement best left to God, Not idiot leftists.

Scott Shaver said...

Never suggested or implied you were "lost" Paul.

May have implied both directly and indirectly my supspicions of glaring fallacies in your logic.

Playing a sympathy card on the heels of an untrue allegation directed at me seems a little desperate and immature IMO.

Scott Shaver said...

Paul:

If you had a clue as opposed to a label ("right wing idealogy")... You might be dangerous.

To this point however, you just haven't offered much to chew on but leftist talking points.

Looks like you're at an intellectual impasse there my friend.

Scott Shaver said...

Got your vaccine for the variants yet Christianne.

Wouldn't want you to be less than thorough.๐Ÿ˜Ž

RB Kuter said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
RB Kuter said...

Thank you for your graciousness, Paul, in acknowledging my concerns.

That being said, allow me to clarify another point raised by your comment, "Not ALL Christians are willing to make a connection between Trump and Christian principles."


It seems to me that many like yourself are so enamored in your opposition to Trump, and for many, outright hatred and obsession with Donald Trump, that you/they interpret anyone who chooses him as an alternative to the extreme leftist politicians are somehow equally enamored in love and devotion to Donald Trump! You guys just don't get it. IT IS NOT ABOUT DONALD TRUMP!

There are some of us who despise the agenda of those leftist politicians who are the only alternative to Trump.

We literally despise the slaughter of babies.
We despise the cancel-culture moves to remove nationalism, pride of country, national sovereignty, adherence to the U.S. Constitution, and law and order.
We despise the leftist agenda to demoralize society with aggressive actions that undermine the entire concept of the God-instituted foundation of "family" which binds any society together.
We despise the arrogant condescending attack upon those of us who do hold to the truth of the blood of Jesus Christ alone being the one avenue to a relationship with an Almighty, Creator God, i.e., "Evangelicals"

We don't care if it is Donald Trump, Ben Carson, Mike Pence, Ted Cruz, Paul D, or Joy Bahar, that is the option that best represents our interests. If that is our only alternative to those killing babies, undermining the principles of the basic family unit, then we would fully support "them"!

IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE PERSON that is standing for these principles. It is all a matter of whether they act to promote these principles.

Paul, you say, "Not ALL Christians are willing to make a connection between Trump and Christian principles."

How in the world can you reconcile your decision to support those Democratic politicians who uniformly aggressively support these un-Godly principles? What justification can you use? Please explain THAT to me?

If my only choice was to support those who are actively destroying the consciousness of this nation with its murderous, evil agenda, I would not vote and campaign against them. If there was an illiterate, unknown, laborer who did campaign for those Godly principles, I would choose that candidate and support him/her with all of my might.

What is your reasoning? What is the logic involved in your decision to choose the continuance of the downward moral spiral in which we are falling? Perhaps you are a libertarian and choose to support someone who has no position on abortion. If so, good luck with success in making a real difference.

Paul D said...

@RB Kuter

thank you. I will try to explain in time.



@Scott Shaver

I love you. "press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called (you) heavenward in Christ Jesus." Blessings.

thanks
Paul

Paul D said...

@RB Kuter

I take your last comment to mean that I do have your forgiveness. That is my main concern.

Secondarily, you question the logic by which an evangelical Christian can oppose the Republican party.

thanks
Paul

Rex Ray said...

I’d said that Judy and I thought Biden had done pretty good on his first meeting with the press, but after Tucker Carlson pointed out some things, I’ve changed my mind.

Tucker quotes Biden in forgetting what he’s talking about:

“So the best way to get something done if you, if you hold near and dear to you, and you’d like to be able uh anyway. I’m getting lockdown.”

Biden downplayed the border crisis by saying, “It’s just a seasonal thing that happens every year.”

RB Kuter said...

Paul, I love you too. In a "guy" way. Blessings to you and all of those who have opinions different from mine.

Rex Ray said...

Cartoon of the Day: March 26, 2021

Shows Biden looking at Press Conference cue cards:

No nap
Make eye contact
Call on PBS
Trump Bad

RB Kuter said...

Rex Ray, I believe YOU should be the Late Night Show Host to replace Johnny Carson!

Rex Ray said...

RB Kuter,

Thanks, but I just reported a cartoon I saw.

With Biden as a subject, Johnny Carson would have had a field day.

Paul D said...

@RB Kuter

you said: "How in the world can you reconcile your decision to support those Democratic politicians who uniformly aggressively support these un-Godly principles? What justification can you use?"

I said: "I will try to explain in time."


Please keep in mind that there are one thousand or more points that I would like to submit, but I am only submitting one. Also, please keep in mind that from birth to 5 years ago I was a Bible Belt conservative that lined up exactly with all my fellows.

I Corinthians 13:1 and 4-5 - If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal...Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;

that is my first reason for abandoning any association with a Republican party that has any association with former President Donald Trump.

I agree with you on your disdain for the immoral agenda that the left pushes. I disagree with you that the Republican party is any better. The Republican party has become a clanging cymbal of hate. If I know anything from the Gospel...if love is absent, Christ is absent.

thanks
Paul

Christiane said...

" The Republican party has become a clanging cymbal of hate."

what Trump has done is to make the expression of that hate a 'norm' for so many, and that is frightening, when you consider that some of the same followers of Trump also see themselves as following Christ . . . but this latest 'revelation' of the intensity of that hatred (the writing into law that one must not give water to a thirsty person in a voting line in the state of Georgia) . . . it's that open intensity that is designed to appeal to Trump himself, to impress him of their personal 'loyalty' to him, even though this new law violates the spirit of the teaching of Our Lord in sacred Scripture. That this is shamelessly done in 2021 tells me that we are just seeing the tip of the iceberg. We can't say we weren't given 'heads up'. Very sad to see this come.

RB Kuter said...

"what Trump has done is to make the expression of that hate a 'norm' for so many, and that is frightening, when you consider that some of the same followers of Trump also see themselves as following Christ . . . but this latest 'revelation' of the intensity of that hatred (the writing into law that one must not give water to a thirsty person in a voting line in the state of Georgia)"

There is indeed someone who continually expresses hate and disdain for an entire section of our society, and it ain't "Trump" or "Trump followers"!

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

RB Kuter,

PREACH ON, BROTHER, PREACH ON!

Rex Ray said...

RB Kuter,

I need some advice. The background of deacons is in Acts 6. Google said:

“No matter how they serve, Scripture makes it clear that ministering as a deacon is a rewarding and honorable calling in the church.”

Deacons in our church help with the Lord’s Supper, but yesterday, the Pastor did it by himself.

There’s not been a deacon’s meeting in two years. Some have moved to other churches.

I believe the church should be able to decide what songs they want to hear. At present, we hear the choir sing ‘seven-eleven’ songs. (That’s seven words repeated eleven times). Many are written by the choir director. He grew up in a foreign country. We have song books but never use them because their songs are never sung. (The words are on a screen.)

The song leader asks everyone to stand during the song service which last for at least 15 minutes. He sings with his eyes shut; maybe he doesn’t want to see how few are singing. He ends with a prayer while strumming his guitar. The funny thing is, we’re friends.

Gerry Milligan said...

Wade, I thought that this posting was about a Baptist that had a problem (is hated too strong a word?) with Asians. But, it devolved into "If you don't love trump, you cannot be a Christian." As a Bible-believing follower of Jesus, for the life of me, I wonder what the attraction to a serial sexual predator, lying, narcissists who did nothing about the pet whining stance of republicans, i. e. abortion; even though he had a supermajority for the first two years of his terrible presidency.

RB Kuter said...

Gerry, your message confuses me.

Did someone other than leftists propose that "if you don'tf love trump, you cannot be Christian"?

When you mentioned "serial sexual predator, lying, narcisist" I honestly thought you were talking about Biden and wondered why you didn't include "corrupt politician using his power to bribe international leaders to accommodate his son's being placed in high paying executive positions to which he has zero experience and gained millions of dollars, with a percent to go to 'the old man' and who enacted drug laws that discriminated against blacks, etc".

But then you inserted in your description about this detestable person, "who did nothing about the pet whining stance of republicans, i.e. abortion" and I figured that maybe you were talking about Trump!

Plus you said he had no influence on abortion, I think, which isn't true given that Trump was a high profile influence for "pro-life", diminished Federal funding for abortion, Planned Parenthood, putting hundreds of pro-life Federal judges in positions, and whose advocating for pro-life principles resulted in an entirely new boost of state laws enacted that are "pro-life".

Can't figure you out. What is the intent?

Gerry Milligan said...

RB Kuter; I cannot believe anyone would insert President Joe Biden's name in an apt description of the Liar in chief unless they were a republican who thinks that the worst president in the history of the USA did a good job. Tell that to the half a million families who lost a loved one due to the inept handling of the Covid-19 virus.

Rex Ray said...

Gerry Milligan,

Trump was criticized for stopping travel from China and Europe. If he hadn’t, there would probably be a million families who lost loved ones to the virus.

BTW, did the President get blamed for the virus of 1817 that killed more Americans than this one?

Gerry Milligan said...

Rex Ray,

If only trump actually stopped inbound travel from China or Europe, maybe things could have had a better outcome. But, he did not but claimed he did. More lies,

Rex Ray said...

Gerry Milligan,

You said, Trump claimed to have stopped travel from China and Europe…more lies.

The Facts on Trump's Travel Restrictions - FactCheck.org

“At a press conference on Feb. 29 attended by Trump, Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, praised “the original decision that was made by the president” to impose travel restrictions to and from China.”

“We prevented travel from China to the United States,” said Fauci, who has worked for multiple administrations. “If we had not done that, we would have had many, many more cases right here that we would have to be dealing with.”

RB Kuter said...

Gerry, can we try to be civil and reasonably objective so as to perhaps having a better chance of actually having a rational, honest, sensible conversation? So far we are so far from that it seems we are just like someone beating a drum on top of a hill.

With that in mind, I will admit that Trump often would exaggerate and he would speculate on things that ended up not being the case. For instance, he did say things would be "open" and maybe normal by last Easter! Do you consider that a "lie"? I imagine those types of speculative and other similar exaggerations would be things you could classify as being "lies".

Personally, I thought that Trump was THE most transparent person we have ever seen in politics. Note that I did not say "the most honest, charming, etc.", but "transparent" to a fault. He would say what he was "thinking". No politician would do that. They cloak their genuine thoughts about matters so as to not offend people or jeopardize their political standing in the polls. Trump was not a "politician at all in that regard and it got him into plenty of trouble.

But consider Biden in comparison. He has been a career politician. For some reason, his consistency has kept him in office for "decades"! Feeding off the taxpayer and if you are honest with yourself, he has manipulated his office for a lot of personal goodies. Can you reasonably deny that? Try to shift your hatred for Trump aside just a little so as to shade your eyes enough to assess Biden in a genuine, honest, objective manner. That may not be possible, but I am hopeful.

Do you reject the evidence that Biden actually used his office by making outright threats to a foreign power that if they did not do something in which Biden personally benefited he would use his office of Vice President to take away billions of dollars headed toward that government? Gerry, this is fact.

In the accusations that Trump did something that we know Biden had done, there was absolutely NO evidence to support that he had threatened the same government by saying he would reject support for them if they did not accommodate his desires. The very communication used by Trump's foes to accuse him of doing that was immediately opened to the public by Trump and there was zero references to his threatening them with anything. Did you read that letter?

Yet Biden did lie in saying that he knew nothing about the conversation he had had or that he knew anything about his son benefiting from it.

I guess it is useless for us to even attempt this conversation. I would be very open to your giving some examples of the "lies" you say that Trump made. Go ahead, embarrass me. If they are legitimate, I will agree with you.

Gerry Milligan said...

RB Kuter,

I do agree with you that we need to elevate our rhetoric to accomplish civil interaction. I would say, contrary to what a few people say, I am NOT a trump hater. As a "born again" follower of Jesus Christ, I do not hate people but their actions. So, I hated that trump was president, but not him.
You said, "I would be very open to your giving some examples of the 'lies,' you say that Trump made. Go ahead, embarrass me. If they are legitimate, I will agree with you." So here is a very BRIEF list of statements that were not true:
1) The size of the crowd at his inauguration.
2) It DID rain on his inauguration speech.
3) Coronavirus is just like the flu and would disappear quickly.
4) Reason he could not reveal his tax returns.
5) Pay-offs to Stormy Daniels
I would like to continue our "higher level" discussions. I enjoy discussions with IMB retirees.

Christiane said...

Grateful to everyone who wishes to return to civility in conversation at this point as the Christian world enters into Holy Week. Even in disagreement, the civility between folks testifies to their respect for the dignity of one another, and that is very much in keeping with the 'reason for the season' as we journey through this time in remembrance of the One of Whom is said,

"“. . . You are the life of us all, the Salvation of us all, the Hope of us all, the Healing of us all, and the Resurrection of us all.”

:)

RB Kuter said...

Thanks Gerry. Much better and I have a better understanding of your comments.

As I mentioned, I agree that Trump exaggerates. He may have said he had "millions" at his rallies. I don't know about raining at the Inauguration but I don't recall him giving his speech in the rain. Don't remember.

When the CORONA Virus came out, nobody knew what it would be like and many of us, myself included, thought it to be a total sensationalized, politicized, flu bug. I remember saying so on Twitter and social media and comparing it to previous flu numbers. We all continued to learn and now that we can be retrospective see things more clearly and accurately. You are free to reach your own conclusions, but I don't see anyone who said it was a typical "flu" as being a "liar", do you? The key trial for whether Trump lied on that one would be what he says about it today, wouldn't it? If he says today that COVID is like the flu and disappeared quickly, we would know he is lying and out of his mind. But as an outspoke President speaking optimistically given the information available at the time, I would likely have, and did, say the same thing.

I didn't know that he DID say he had never had a settlement with Stormy Daniels.

On tax returns, there is obviously details in that which could have been used as ammunition against him. Who know what? Perhaps his businesses in Russia, Ukraine, and stuff like that, which I believe is public knowledge but we know would have been used by his political opponents.

So I really don't take exception with anything that you say about Trump, but wonder if those matters really justify the demonization he is receiving from you and all of his opponents, especially given that these sort of things are the worst that you can cite after the millions of dollars and years of investigations that took place during the course of his term and through the impeachment processes. Can you imagine what more substantive evidence of corruption and unethical behavior would have surfaced had ANY other political figure gone through the vetting that this guy experienced? And that's it?!

What I observed was more of an exaggeration on the part of his opponents in the attempt to undermine his credibility and performance. It was ALL bad.

On the other hand, we have Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden, Susan Rice and Bill's meeting on the tarmack, the very substantiated fabrication of accusations about Trump's involvement with Russia with illegal use of false, undocumented data to acquire illegal warrants to eliminate Trump as a candidate prior to his being elected. That's treason, and plenty of documented evidence and testimony was presented it as such. Why wasn't it prosecuted? Hey, how in the world did Hillary escape prosecution for the destruction of "thousands" of emails, computers, and hard disks that would have been discriminatory against her?

Gerry, can you not see the huge discrepancy in the magnitude of the lies, deceit, and yes, conspiracies taking place? To cite things like "It DID rain!", or "Said COVID was like the flu when it came out!", just does not seem like rational, serious, thinking to me.

This is what scares me and makes me think that we are really in for some dark days ahead with those who are in control of things and with such a huge portion of our population continuing to take a position similar to what yours reflects, I have no hope of our surviving, as a nation. As a "Jesus Kingdom", yes, as the "United States of America", no.

Christiane said...

I hope our nation survives as the United States of America where everyone has the freedom to believe in the religion of their choice or not to believe. My husband and my father were buried under the flag of the United States of America. My son and my niece and nephew served in the military of the United States of America. I am proud of my country and its freedoms.

Currently the USA is under attack by Russian security forces as is known to our own country's intelligence. The goal: to divide us as a people, to destroy our national unity as a country. Their most recent attempts failed. They will try again.

Christiane said...

Correction: "My son (USCG, officer) and my niece (USN critical-care nurse) and nephew (USN M.D.) presently all serve in the military of the United States of America.

:)

Gerry Milligan said...

RB Kuter,

I must admit that I do not watch FOX news. But even BBC talks about his untruths. I am glad he was defeated (again and in all of his court challenges)

As part of attempts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election, Trump and his allies repeatedly and falsely claimed there had been massive election fraud and that Trump had really won the election.[6] Their effort was characterized by some as an implementation of "the big lie."[17]

According to Wikipedia, "Donald Trump made tens of thousands of false or misleading claims; one report gave the number as 30,573.[1][4][5][6] Commentators and fact-checkers have described this as "unprecedented" in American politics,[7][8][9][10] and the consistency of these falsehoods became a distinctive part of both his business and political identity.[11] Trump is known to have made controversial statements and subsequently denied having done so,[12][13] and by June 2019, many news organizations had started describing some of his falsehoods as lies,[14] which are false statements that the speaker knows are false. The Washington Post said his frequent repetition of false claims amounts to a campaign based on disinformation.[15] According to writer and journalist Nancy LeTourneau, the debasing of veracity is a tactic.[16]


Scott Shaver said...

If it's "according to Wilkapedia" it must be eternal truth...right?
๐Ÿ˜‚

Rex Ray said...

Gerry Milligan,

You said, “I must admit that I do not watch FOX news,”
Well, there you go. One good reason to watch Fox is because Obama hated it.

We watch on Fox:

OUTNUMBERED Composed of four women (Republicans, Democrats, Independents, and one man that may be whatever.) They discuss current Politics. (Comes on 11 A.M. 5 days a week)

TUCKER CARLSON Show. Talks Politics. Comes on 7 P.M. 5 days a week. (We like it best of all.)

Hannity Show. Follows Carlson Show.

Laura Engram Show (Follows Hannity)

Have you heard the latest that Biden wants vaccine-passports of having Covid-19 shots before you can fly on an airplane etc.?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/03/28/vaccine-passports-for-work/

RB Kuter said...

"Trump is known to have made controversial statements and subsequently denied having done so,[12][13] and by June 2019, many news organizations had started describing some of his falsehoods as lies,[14] which are false statements that the speaker knows are false. The Washington Post said his frequent repetition of false claims amounts to a campaign based on disinformation.[15] According to writer and journalist Nancy LeTourneau, the debasing of veracity is a tactic.[16]"

I don't even imagine you watched Biden's "press conference" (?) last Thursday and witnessed his reasons for not having done what he promised he would do during his campaign, huh?

Well, there you go Gerry. Enjoy.

Gerry Milligan said...


Rex Ray
You said, "Have you heard the latest that Biden wants vaccine-passports of having Covid-19 shots before you can fly on an airplane etc.?"
To answer your question, NO!! Where did you hear that we would need vaccine-passports of having Covid-19 shots before you can fly on an airplane etc.? Was your source FOX (actual spelling should be FAUX) news

RB Kuter
You asked this question: "I don't even imagine you watched Biden's "press conference" (?) last Thursday and witnessed his reasons for not having done what he promised he would do during his campaign, huh?" To answer your question, YES, and he promised 200 Million COVID-19 shots before he had been in office for 100 days, and he has passed that. Did Donald Trump fulfill ANY of his campaign promises? I ask because I can find no evidence of him fulfilling any of his campaign promises. I would like to hear from a Christian concerning Trump fulfilling any of his campaign promises



























/

Rex Ray said...

Gerry Milligan,

You asked: Where did you hear that we would need vaccine-passports of having Covid-19 shots?

I’ll give the reference again:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/03/28/vaccine-passports-for-work/

It’s very long, but it starts like this:

‘Vaccine passports’ are on the way, but developing them won’t be easy
White House-led effort tries to corral more than a dozen initiatives.

Dan Diamond,
Lena H. Sun and
Isaac Stanley-Becker
March 28, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. CDT

The Biden administration and private companies are working to develop a standard way of handling credentials — often referred to as “vaccine passports” — that would allow Americans to prove they have been vaccinated against the novel coronavirus as businesses try to reopen.

The effort has gained momentum amid President Biden’s pledge that the nation will start to regain normalcy this summer and with a growing number of companies — from cruise lines to sports teams.

RB Kuter said...

Gerry, speaking of "hear from Christians", the one issue that "trumps" all others is the ongoing slaughter of millions of infants each year.

Arguing about which politician is the least corrupt is laughable in comparison to the level of significance with the taking of innocents lives. There were no policies enacted during the former administration in support of abortion and plenty taken opposing it. The opposite side continues to push for more and more extreme measures bent on killing children throughout the pregnancy term and even into the air-breathing world.

I can be at peace with striving to support the least corrupt politician that I believe will do what he says and steal the least amount of money realizing that all will disappoint me and none are perfect. What I will never do, and will never understand how any genuine Jesus-follower can do, is to consciously support those politicians that we KNOW will take action to increase the number of children slaughtered.

Discussion on all other matters regarding who is the least corrupt is ludicrous in terms of the scale of atrocity committed in comparison to the vicious butchering of children. How does this nation allow that to happen? It is not going unnoticed by God who receives the souls of those millions of people into His presence every year.

Gerry Milligan said...

Rex Ray,
When we recently left grandchildren in London we had to provide a "NEGATIVE" Covid-19 laboratory test that was not more than 48 hours old. I think that showing a completed course of Covid-19 vaccine is a great idea. I want to know that I am safe on an airplane.

Gerry Milligan said...

RB Kuter,
You said, "I can be at peace with striving to support the least corrupt politician that I believe will do what he says and steal the least amount of money realizing that all will disappoint me and none are perfect. What I will never do, and will never understand how any genuine Jesus-follower can do, is to consciously support those politicians that we KNOW will take action to increase the number of children slaughtered."
So, my question to you is, "Why, when Trump's party controlled the house, the senate, the judiciary, and the white house was Roe vs. Wade not overturned?" I do not see that trump did anything (except for talking) to end abortions in the USA. Why?

Rex Ray said...

Gerry,

Someday, on that airplane you might hear, “This is you captain speaking; I’m working from home today.”

RB Kuter,

(Revelation 13:16-17 Living) “He required everyone…to be tattooed with a certain mark on the right hand or on the forehead. And no one could get a job or even buy in any store without the permit of that mark…”

Sounds a little like Biden’s vaccine-passport. ๐Ÿ˜Š

A person without the mark might say, I hurt my hand and a doctor told me to keep it bandaged.

What’s scary is what I heard on a Radio-talk-show. It suggested putting a computer chip under the skin of a baby for identification.

Could the mark of the beast be a chip?

Gerry Milligan said...

Rex Ray,
Your comment to me is too esoteric, I do not comprehend your meaning.

Gerry Milligan said...

RB Kuter,
Was Lonnie Turner in Zambia when you were?

RB Kuter said...

Rex Ray, I have heard all sorts of speculation as to what might be the "mark of the beast".

Personally, I believe that we will be aware of the mark and associate it with those who having it being those who are devoted to following the anti-Christ. I think that is why we will be accountable for having it.

If I have a social security number so as to withdraw my contributions to that system over the years I was employed, I don't relate that to being disobedient or rebellious against Christ.

If there is a leader who requires to have a symbol that associate you as being his follower and having allegiance to him when it is obvious that he is an un-Godly, anti-Christ, hater of the church, then you and I will refuse to wear anything that proposes we support him/her in any manner.

I don't know about the vaccine as to whether it is all that it is proposed to be. I don't know if there is an intent to use it for the future appropriation of other injections that will serve someone's agenda as proposed by some very component doctors/scientists/epidemiologists. But I do not believe that those who take it are making a conscious decision to demonstrate allegiance to any political figure or power player, as will be the case with the "666".

But that's simply my personal take on things. I certainly am no expert.

RB Kuter said...

Gerry,

They sure were!

RB Kuter said...

Rex Ray, regarding the "vaccine-passport", I will not be surprised, almost anticipate, the requirement to have the vaccine prior to having certain credentials that should be free to everyone. I don't know what I will do. I do want to return to Thailand to be with those that I consider family and don't know how I will do that without the "vaccine-passport".

The more pressure this government puts on me to get it, the more I am determined not to get it. I simply am suspicious of the motives and not confident in the long-term impact this vaccine may have. Not being approved by FDA, much discussion about its side-effects and effectiveness all contribute to my uneasiness.

I seldom express that because I do not want to discourage anyone else from getting the shots. It's your choice and if you've had the shots I am totally glad for you. I just want the freedom to "not" get it.

RB Kuter said...

"I do not see that trump did anything (except for talking) to end abortions in the USA"

Gerry, your blindness or inability to assess any aspect of the political arena with the least bit of objectivity leads me to conclude that it is hopeless to reason with you. I'm not sure what it is. Is it that you are so blinded by hate for the guy that it controls your ability to reason? Is it that you are so programmed by some supernatural entity that you cannot fathom consideration for anything other than what you have been programmed to follow? Perhaps it is simply that you function as a lot of teenagers that I have seen who are determined to argue against anything/anyone, who does not concede to their wishes and desires and take a position of defiance and rejection even when the reality of things opposite is so clear and apparent. Kind of like those liberal college students who shout for freedom for everyone and then spit on and violently abuse conservative students who try to express their views in campus "free speech" areas.

To say that Trump and Biden are no different on the impact against/for abortion is so absurd as to prove blindness. You reject the appointment of hundreds of Federal judges by Trump who were pro-life. You reject the reality of de-funding of Planned Parenthood and the elimination of many policies that discriminated against those who refused to accommodate pro-abortion activity and measures. You reject the appointment of two Supreme Court Justices who were pro-life in their convictions.

You apparently are unable to understand that Biden's regime and the leftists are eliminating all of the pro-life measures possible including a re-funding of Planned Parenthood. Where is your sense of reason?

You can say the same about me. A teenager would.

Gerry Milligan said...

RB Kuter,
So much for having civil discourse with you, so I will leave you to your trump worshiping self.

RB Kuter said...

Well, I will say one thing that your technique of denial of reality has accomplished, it gives me more respect for those who have a different perspective on things than me but at least acknowledge their position and give reasons for it.

Christiane, for example. She supports Roe vs Wade and always defends women's rights to get abortions when I argue that there is no excuse for killing babies. She doesn't deny her position but she at least proposes logical explanations for it, like the plight of women in despair, who are forced into untenable situations and then get an abortion because they can't deal with having a baby.

I don't believe Christiane would say Trump had no impact on women having access to abortion. She instead would argue that we need to get rid of him because he DID make it more difficult for women to get abortions.

So your blind defiance of reality saying that Trump did nothing to stop abortions at least led me to better appreciate those who take a different position but at least are honest in acknowledging the nose on their face.

Scott Shaver said...

Gerry:

You can feel "safe" to your level of requirement by masking up, staying home and avoiding air travel.

The world does not exist to insure your "safety".

Christiane said...

Mr. Kuter,

I have written about what I believe will productively help to reduce abortions in this country.

If you care to read what I have written and write about what I have written, I have no problem with that.

In any case, you may write as you please using your own words, but I have used my own voice and my own words to state what I think will be helpful and I will stand by my own words. But still we try to understand and that is important and necessary.

I hope you have a wonderful Easter Day in celebration of the Risen Lord.

RB Kuter said...

Christiane, I apologize profusely if I misquoted you in any way. If you correct my misrepresentation I will certainly acknowledge and respect that. Still, I do respect your attitude and straightforwardness, as mentioned.

You have an awesome Easter too.

Christiane said...

I'm sorry, Mr. Kuter, I don't write very clearly.

I do value your own voice, but for me, my outlook is based on a different way of calculating outcome, in that, I see reaching out to help welcome new life as a way of adding to the solution. I don't see 'the abortion issue' as a zero-sum game, no.

It isn't 'either/or' but rather, I think the 'culture wars' solution leaves out what might be examined as another way of trying to make things better for all concerned in a more humane way than not.

I can't explain it any better than that, but I want to be on the side of welcoming new life and my concepts may be seen by some as offering help to those who are not now connected to it, OR my concepts may be seen by some in the culture wars as wanting to use the public purse to extend a safety net to protect the coming of new life by not backing the mother into a corner where she may panic and choose wrong decisions.

It's complicated. I'm sorry if I am not well-spoken about it. You owe me no apology and I do know that I am not able to express myself in ways that are 'clear' in the culture-war lexicon, but I see additional ways of welcoming new life that the culture wars are either blind to or outright reject. You have a good holiday. I value your voice here. Please know that.

Even a small kindness to someone who is troubled can make a difference, and in the Kingdom of Our Lord, God can magnify that small difference beyond all expectations. We just need to try to make things better for troubled people even in small steps, if we can, and stand back and we may see that, in God's time, we might have done some good.

RB Kuter said...

Christiane, thank you for expanding your thoughts.

The point that I was trying to make to our friend, Gerry, is that someone can dialogue with you rationally and reasonably even when we have opposite viewpoints on an issue and I respect you for that.

This does not seem to be the case in my trying to express opposite views with Gerry, or perhaps it's simply a matter of personality conflict.

Gerry Milligan said...

RB Kuter,
You said, "Gerry, your blindness or inability to assess any aspect of the political arena with the least bit of objectivity leads me to conclude that it is hopeless to reason with you." This is probably true because I cannot see any reasonableness in your attack on my character. Then, you said, "The point that I was trying to make to our friend, Gerry, is that someone can dialogue with you rationally and reasonably"! And, again RB when will you stop calling names and have civil discourse?

Scott Shaver said...

Christianne:

I divide with leftist liberal types due to my own clear-eyed convictions and beliefs.

Not because of "Russian interference".

Doesn't take a Russian to put me at odds with the likes of Biden, Harris, et al.

Christiane said...

Good Friday meditation:

"Let us pray for all who suffer and are afflicted in body or in mind;

For the hungry and the homeless, the destitute
and the oppressed
For the sick, the wounded, and the crippled
For those in loneliness, fear, and anguish
For those who face temptation, doubt, and despair
For the sorrowful and bereaved
For prisoners and captives, and those in mortal danger

That God in his mercy will comfort and relieve them, and
grant them the knowledge of his love, and stir up in us the
will and patience to minister to their needs.



Gracious God, the comfort of all who sorrow, the strength of
all who suffer: Let the cry of those in misery and need come
to you, that they may find your mercy present with them in all
their afflictions; and give us, we pray, the strength to serve
them for the sake of him who suffered for us, your Son Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen."


RB Kuter said...

Gerry, okay, I will stop. I regret having written in the manner in which I responded to you. I thought about it and in retrospect, I see that it was not in the spirit and tone that would make me proud. I should not allow that to happen and I apologize and God's Holy Spirit jerked my chain about it and pointed out that I was out of line. So I will strive to do better.

Gerry Milligan said...

RB Kuter,
Thank you for your civil response. Now, allow me to get away from politics with a couple of questions;
1) Did you work with Lonny and Fran Turner in Zambia?
2) Did the practice of erecting Spirit Houses on church properties in Thailand bother you?

RB Kuter said...

Yes, I believe I answered earlier that the Turners and us were in Zambia at the same time. They were still there when we transferred to serve in Thailand. I haven't seen them since. Are you with them today?

I'm not aware of any spirit houses erected by missionaries or faithful Thai believers on premises. You would have to elaborate a bit more about that and perhaps I could respond.

Gerry Milligan said...

RB Kuter,
Sorry, I must have missed your previous answer concerning Lonnie and Fran. We were in orientation at Calloway Gardens together.
The time we visited Bangkok in 1988 each church (Not just Baptist churches) had what was called a spirit house. We were told that Thai's would not enter a church if there was no spirit house on the property. They were usually about the dimensions of a dollhouse. I saw several in our time there.

RB Kuter said...

Gerry, not sure why, but my response to your comment was somehow lost following my attempt to send it.

I mentioned in that lost response that we missed doing orientation at Calloway Gardens and had ours at MLC, which was a beautiful setting as I am sure was Calloway. When we left Zambia in 1992, I believe Lonnie and Fran were still there but not for long after that.

I cannot speak for those things you were told about Thai Christians regarding the spirit houses. (They are called "san pra' phum" in Thai). Just about EVERY business and residence had one outside with there being some very elaborate ones in the entry to large businesses, malls, and centers. The typical Buddhist residence had smaller ones in their yards with some even having small figurines placed inside to represent the resident spirits.

Offerings of fruit, incense, and drinks would be placed on the pedestals, usually each morning, and passer-byers would "wai" (bow with hands folded) paying homage to the spirit as they passed by. The spirits were anonymous but feared and every property was assumed to have a resident spirit or two to which homage was due or else face the consequences of having an angry spirit. None of this is "Buddhist" or Buddha's teachings but part of the synchronistic "add-ons" that become part of "Buddhist" tradition.

During the twenty or so years we were in Thailand, I was never aware of ANY church or church institution or Christian residence that had spirit houses. Perhaps there were some "professing" Christians who also continued to practice Buddhism that refused to discard their Buddhist traditions, but never did I encounter a sincere follower or church that allowed such a presence on their premises.

I am aware of a missionary family who rented a house in a community where they could not find an alternative place to live and the owner of that property had such a shrine. When the missionaries requested it be removed he refused. As I recall, they were there for awhile and tried to cover it but I don't believe they were renting that place for a very long time.

So where did you serve following your orientation?

Gerry Milligan said...

RB Kuter.
We were originally assigned to the Baptist Hospital in Gaza, but in our first year and a half we were in Amman, Jordan for language. We went back to Jordan where I taught Mental Health practices at the University of Jordan. We ended our service in Dubai where I was strategy leader for Gulf Arabs. When we attended strategy leaders training we met Rex Ray's son and daughter-in-law.

Rex Ray said...

Gerry Milligan,

This was written:

Gerry Milligan said...Rex Ray, When we recently left grandchildren in London, we had to provide a "NEGATIVE" Covid-19 laboratory test that was not more than 48 hours old. I think that showing a completed course of Covid-19 vaccine is a great idea. I want to know that I am safe on an airplane. Wed Mar 31, 10:30:00 AM 2021

Rex Ray said...Gerry, Someday, on that airplane you might hear, “This is you captain speaking; I’m working from home today.”

Gerry Milligan said...Rex Ray, Your comment to me is too esoteric, I do not comprehend your meaning. Wed Mar 31, 11:49:00 AM 2021

I guess it’s better late than never to reply. I forgot to post my answer: “It’s a joke. It means the plane is flying by remote control with no pilot. But someday, it could happen; like flying drones.”

RB Kuter said...

Gerry, thank God for the obedience and faithfulness of you and your family.

I wonder if Rex Ray's son and daughter-in-law are as radical as Rex Ray? Guess so, given that you met them while serving in the Arab world. That sounds like something Rex Ray would do too if he felt God leading him there.

Serving our Lord abroad is really a crazy ride. I'm glad I did it but glad it's over. Still, talked on "Messenger" to some of our Thai "family" in Thailand this morning and realize how much we miss them and want to be there with them. Right now, that country is completely shut down for outsiders so doubt we could go if we wanted to. Their military regime controlling that country certainly use COVID as part of their strategy to maintain dictatorship. Sad.

Rex Ray said...

Gerry Milligan,

Sometimes it’s a small world, huh?

Today, I asked my son, Joe and his wife if they remembered you, but they didn’t. Maybe you remembered them because they had four boys.

He helped run a boy’s camp in Florida. (The boys had a choice of camp or jail.) He and his wife wanted to be Baptist missionaries. They were rejected, but because of the boy’s camp, Joe was hired to run a youth camp in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Later, he was asked if they’d be missioners to Jews. Language school for Hebrew. Their 7-year-old son told a neighbor, “If you don’t believe in Jesus, you’ll go the hell.” Years later, Arabic language school for Muslims.

After five years, the closest to becoming a Christian was a Muslim saying: “If I knew God would give me five sons, I’d be a Christian.”

We’d gone to Israel several times to visit. We were eating with a Muslim family where the father said to Joe and me: “Why don’t you have another wife because it’s obvious you have plenty of money? (We both could read our wives’ minds: “DON’T EVEN THINK IT!” ๐Ÿ˜Š

When Baptist missionaries were required to sign the 2000 BFM, Joe and Beth didn’t sign, but received permission to leave to further their education.

Christiane said...

"God is love; and he that dwells in love dwells in God, and God in him."

Is this a message that is much played down in some denominations in favor of preaching 'hell' instead ? And what has come of this two thousand years after it was written?

?

Our Lord drives out fear and brings peace to people and when people are humble before the Lord, He gives them grace upon grace

even the Muslims know about Christian humility before the Lord as is written in their holy book this strange observation:
‘Those nearest in love to the believers [Muslims] are those who say, ‘We are Christians.’ Among them are priests and monks, and they wax not proud.”

Hubris is standing and looking down on others. Humility is the opposite, humility serves others for the sake of the others, not for any gain or 'agenda', but out of love for them and wanting for them only good.

Preaching 'hell'? That is 'loving'? Only among some denominations, but sometimes it goes too far, like the hubris shown among the Westboro Baptist Church in their contempt for 'those other sinners'.

Better to learn: 'God is love' and that Our Lord IS 'God, in the second Person of the Holy Trinity, One God in three Persons. And when 'love' is taught as the criterion for being 'of Christ', that opens up salvation to those who love and live in love for the sake of others, without thought of their own credit or benefit.

differences?

yes, but important ones, since only one preaches 'fear' and the other preaches something greater than 'fear', that which takes away fear and replaces it with compassion for others who do not have a shepherd

I think sometimes Christian people emphasize different things, but essentially look to wanting to help those who need Christ, though their messages may differ, their hearts are wanting good to come for 'the others' and this is a 'shared' goal.

Rex Ray said...

CHRISTIANE,

You said, “Muslims…holy book.” I have a picture of Obama being ‘sworn in’ at his second term. One hand is in the air, and the other is on the Qur'an Bible which is on top of our Bible being held by his wife.
Obama said, “The holy Qur'an tells us…”

And now, you refer to the Qur'an as “their holy book.”

The worst thing about the Qur'an is it replaced Jesus with Mohamad.

Christiane said...

Hello out there, REX RAY

the point I was trying to make was not very clear, so sorry

it was an attempt to say it might be better to teach a boy to tell people that Jesus loved them rather than preaching hell

it seems more productive to light a candle rather than to curse the darkness

and 'humility' scores a lot higher with God than does 'hubris' if we understand the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican in the Temple where we are told, this:

"To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other one a tax collector. The Pharisee prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men—thieves, adulterers—or this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ “I tell you that this man went home justified before God rather than the other. FOR ALL WHO EXALT THEMSELVES WILL BE HUMBLED, AND THOSE WHO HUMBLE THEMSELVES WILL BE EXALTED'”

Hubris is thinking you've 'got it made' and someone else doesn't. It ASSUMES what that we are more important than we are to sit in judgment on others in the ways that God would judge them Himself,
but we are not God, and we cannot be God,
so a little humility goes a long way in Christianity.



Hubris? The proud Pharisee failed in God's eyes to be 'justified' because of his sin of pride in assuming he was 'above' the tax-collector. We cannot put ourselves above 'the other' before God, no. We are to be servants, not judges. We are to observe humility before the Lord, not to brag about our position as 'saved' in contrast to someone else who we have judged as 'not saved'. God has been clear about our need to be humbled before Him.

"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ “I tell you that this man went home justified before God rather than the other.

Rex Ray said...

CHRISTIANE,

Thanks for switching gears and preaching a good sermon.

On another subject. There’s a book “The Worst President in History; The Legacy of Barack Obama”.

I believe the way it’s going; his Vice-President will make Obama number two.

Scott Shaver said...

Christianne:

Would you have been among those offended and shrinking back with horror had you been there in person to hear the Lord Christ's own discourses on the subject of hell?

RB Kuter said...

Christiane, I don't disagree with you about emphasizing God's love to a child or an adult but it is critical to include in that message regarding God's love to explain that the GREATEST display of God's love was the cross which was required to give all of us a way to escape the judgment of hell which we all deserve.

Yes, children who can understand the concept of death, judgment, and guilt from the sins they have committed will respond in an appropriate manner to the message of redemption. As you suggest, the delivery of the message must be tempered with sensitivity to the child's age and ability to assess the information. We don't hesitate to tell a child that playing ball in the street can result in their being killed.

For ALL of those of an age where they do ponder the questions of eternal security, sin-guilt/judgment, etc., it would be the cruelest of all claims of "love" to NOT pronounce the impending judgment of hell that awaits ALL who are not covered with the blood of Jesus Christ.

Ezekiel 33 clearly portrays God's judgment on us for NOT sounding the alarm. The problem in our "church" culture is certainly not that there is an "over"-emphasis on judgment and hell at the expense of the message of God's love. Unfortunately, the opposite is more likely to be the case.

Christiane said...

Hello Mr. Kuter,

in this world where we 'see through a glass darkly', it seems better for us to point others towards Christ, the Light of the World

too often, we find those who 'point the finger' not at Christ but at those they call 'those other sinners' and what follows are not so much 'warnings' but attempts at 'hubris' where to one pointing the finger 'looks down' on 'those other sinners'

In my opinion, coming from a Church that is as 'hospital for wounded souls', I think we Christian people need to point not to ourselves as 'saved' but to the Savior Himself, and in this way, we step away from any position of pridefulness and are able to direct people to HIM . . . . it is said that a preacher who is humble before the Lord can draw thousands to Christ

Humility?

""Humility, then, is more than just a virtue: it is a form of perception,
a language in which the "I" is silent so that I can hear the "Thou",
the unspoken call beneath human speech, the Divine whisper within all that moves,
the voice of otherness that calls me to redeem its loneliness with the touch of love.
Humility is what opens us to the world."

(Johnathan Sacks)


Yes, I would teach a child to tell others that Our Lord loves them.
The thing is that children are sometimes blessed by 'knowing' to do this without our intervention . . . they 'know', from an age-old wisdom, they 'know' :)

Rex Ray said...

Scott Shaver,

Some don’t have the horror of hell as expected, when a preacher told how hot hell was, the congregation started smiling. (They were Eskimos) ๐Ÿ˜Š