Letter to an Eagle Scout by Mark Alexander

   What is our world coming to?  How foolish of the Boy Scouts to entertain the idea of allowing homosexuals to become leaders in the Boy Scouts!!  We have lost all common sense!

Letter to an Eagle Scout 30 January 2013 (NOTE: This letter is a response from Mark Alexander to his son, a Cadet at the U.S. Air Force Academy, concerning the Boy Scouts of America national board proposal to allow homosexual Scout leaders. Alexander is both a Troop Scoutmaster and member of his area Boy Scout Executive Council.) I received your note about news of an upcoming proposal before the Boy Scouts of America national board, which meets Wednesday, February 6th. According to the news release regarding that proposal, "The BSA is discussing potentially removing the national membership restriction regarding sexual orientation." You are correct, the removal of this restriction will permit local BSA Councils to accept homosexual members and, moreover, to invite homosexuals to serve in leadership positions at all levels of the organization. I understand your profound disappointment in this great organization, after all you accomplished to obtain your Eagle rank. I share that disappointment as your former Scoutmaster, and many years in other leadership positions with the BSA. A decade ago, when you first joined my Cub Scout Pack, I wrote the BSA's National Executive Board about concerns regarding advertisers in the Cub and Boy Scouting magazines. The great Scouting stories were wrapped in ads for junk food and video games. I was struck by the fact that on the one hand, we, as leaders, were charged with encouraging our boys to develop healthy habits for life -- and on the other hand, the national organization was serving them a monthly dose of junk food and video game advertising. The BSA responded that without those advertisers, it would be difficult to fund their glossy publications. I rebutted that this was a "Faustian bargain," that it conveyed the wrong message in every respect. I heard nothing more from the BSA. Fast forward to the BSA news this week. In light of all the reports and litigation over the abusive predation on boys by homosexual adults in leadership positions with churches and other organizations, the notion that the BSA is considering lifting its ban on homosexuals holding such positions is mind numbing, stupefying -- in fact, shocking.

Consume Just 6 oz. of This Each Day and Boost Your Obesity Risk by 36.5%

     I believe it is imperative to educate the public on the dangers and side effects of diet drinks.  We have been brainwashed into thinking we will lose weight if we don't consume calories but as Dr. Mercola points out in this article, which you can read in entirety here.  Diet drinks actually contribute to fat retention.
       Below is an excerpt from the linked article.

No- or Low-Cal Beverages CONTRIBUTE to Obesity Problem

While soda consumption has gone down, consumption of artificially sweetened “diet” beverages has risen in that same time, according to an October 11, 2012 report by USA Today.⁸ The industry has effectively convinced people that diet drinks are a healthier choice because they lack any calories. However, if you’re concerned about your weight and health, switching to artificial sweeteners is NOT a wise move.

Mounting research shows that diet soda is not a "guilt-free" treat at all. For example, two studies published in 2011 linked diet soda to poor health outcomes. In one study, people who drank two or more diet sodas a day experienced waist size increases that were six times greater than those of people who didn't drink diet soda. A second study that found that aspartame (NutraSweet) raised blood sugar levels in diabetes-prone mice.

As you may know, your waist size is not only a matter of aesthetics, but also a powerful indicator of a build-up of visceral fat, a dangerous type of fat around your internal organs that is strongly linked with type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Your waist size is a far more accurate predictor of your heart risks than your body mass index (BMI). Nearly eight years ago, research by Sharon P. Fowler, MPH⁹ (who was also involved in the newer studies noted above) found that your risk of obesity increases by 41 percent for each can of diet soda you drink in a day. Furthermore, for diet soft-drink drinkers, the risk of becoming overweight or obese was:

• 36.5 percent for up to 1/2 can per day
• 57.1 percent for more than 2 cans per day

For regular soft-drink drinkers, the risk of becoming overweight or obese was:

• 26 percent for up to 1/2 can per day
• 32.8 percent for 1 to 2 cans per day
• 47.2 percent for more than 2 cans per day

How Decreasing Sugar Intake Can Impact Body Weight

In related news, recently published research¹⁰ shows that decreasing sugar consumption can help you lose weight. The researchers examined outcomes from 71 studies on sugar consumption and body fat. The duration of included studies ranged from two weeks to one year. According to the authors:

“In trials of adults with ad libitum diets (that is, with no strict control of food intake), reduced intake of dietary sugars was associated with a decrease in body weight (0.80 kg/1.8 lb); increased sugars intake was associated with a comparable weight increase (0.75 kg/1.7 lb).

Isoenergetic exchange of dietary sugars with other carbohydrates showed no change in body weight . Trials in children... in relation to intakes of sugar sweetened beverages after one year follow-up in prospective studies, the odds ratio for being overweight or obese increased was 1.55 (1.32 to 1.82) among groups with the highest intake compared with those with the lowest intake. Despite significant heterogeneity in one meta-analysis and potential bias in some trials, sensitivity analyses showed that the trends were consistent and associations remained after these studies were excluded.”

The Savior King (w/lyrics) HILLSONG CHAPEL

A beautiful song to start the day:

Our Country's Only Hope Is To Return To The Christian Values It Was Founded Upon

       A reader left comments on yesterday's post, "The Foundation of the Separation of Church & State", in which he very persuasively states his belief the Founders of our country purposed to keep religion out of government and that the church and state are to remain totally separate.  
      In the original post, Dr. Matthias correctly states that the phrase 'separation of Church and State' was coined to keep government out of religion, not religion out of government.  Evidence the Founders were not concerned about keeping religion out of government can easily be seen by looking at our coins on which the motto they chose for our country,"In God We Trust," is inscribed.  More evidence can also be seen in the Biblical inscriptions on our national monuments and the posting of the Ten Commandments on our Supreme Court Building.  Not only were the original signers of the documents on which our government is based, not concerned about Christianity infecting our government, they were actively promoting its' values.

      It seemed to me there could be no more persuasive argument than to hear what these men believed in their own words.  Therefore, I am posting quotes from many of them today, so you can decided for yourself.

 “The Declaration of Independence laid the cornerstone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity.”

 – John Adams

“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

- John Adams

“As the safety and prosperity of nations ultimately and essentially depend on the protection and the blessing of Almighty God, and the national acknowledgment of this truth is not only an indispensable duty which the people owe to Him.”

- John Adams

“It is religion and morality alone which can establish the principles upon which freedom can securely stand. The only foundation of a free constitution is pure virtue.”

- John Adams

"It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great Nation was founded not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ."

- Patrick Henry

"Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is their duty – as well as privilege and interest – of our Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers."

-John Jay, First Chief-Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court

“The only foundation for . . . a republic is to be laid in Religion. Without this there can be no virtue, and without virtue there can be no liberty, and liberty is the object and life of all republican governments.”  

- Benjamin Rush, Signer of the Declaration of Independence

"God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that His justice cannot sleep forever."

-Thomas Jefferson, President

"Education is useless without the Bible."

- Daniel Webster, Early American Politician

"The Bible was America’s basic text book in all fields. God’s Word, contained in the Bible, has furnished all necessary rules to direct our conduct."

- Noah Webster, American Schoolmaster

"In my view, the Christian religion is the most important and one of the first things in which all children, under a free government ought to be instructed … No truth is more evident to my mind than that the Christian religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people."

- Noah Webster, Preface Noah Webster Dictionary, 1828

“I verily believe Christianity necessary to the support of civil society. One of the beautiful boasts of our municipal jurisprudence is that Christianity is a part of the Common Law … There never has been a period in which the Common Law did not recognize Christianity as lying its foundations.”

- Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story, Harvard Speech, 1829

“[The Bible] is the rock on which our Republic rests.”

- Andrew Jackson, President of the United States of America

“In regards to this great Book [the Bible], I have but to say it is the best gift God has given to man. All the good the Savior gave to the world was communicated through this Book. But for it we could not know right from wrong. All things most desirable for man’s welfare, here and hereafter, are found portrayed in it.”

- Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States of America

“Whereas, the Senate of the United States, devoutly recognizing the Supreme Authority and just Government of Almighty God, in all the affairs of men and of nations, has, by a resolution, requested the President to designate and set apart a day for National prayer and humiliation…”

- Abraham Lincoln

“Religion [is] the basis and foundation of Government”

- James Madison

“This is a Christian nation.”

- United States Supreme Court Decision in Church of the Holy Trinity v. United States, 1892

“Our laws and our institutions must necessarily be based upon and embody the teachings of The Redeemer of mankind. It is impossible that it should be otherwise; and in this sense and to this extent our civilization and our institutions are emphatically Christian…This is a Christian nation”

- United States Supreme Court Decision in Church of the Holy Trinity v. United States, 1892

“The foundations of our society and our government rest so much on the teachings of the Bible that it would be difficult to support them if faith in these teachings would cease to be practically universal in our country.”

- Calvin Coolidge, President of the United States of America

“We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We’ve staked the future of all our political institutions upon our capacity…to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God.” 

- James Madison [1778 to the General Assembly of the State of Virginia]

"Suppose a nation in some distant region should take the Bible for their only law book and every member should regulate his conduct by the precepts there exhibited. . . . What a Eutopia – what a Paradise would this region be!"

- John Adams

"In the chain of human events, the birthday of the nation is indissolubly linked with the birthday of the Savior. The Declaration of Independence laid the cornerstone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity."

- John Quincy Adams

"Let us enter on this important business under the idea that we are Christians on whom the eyes of the world are now turned… [L]et us earnestly call and beseech Him, for Christ’s sake, to preside in our councils. . . . We can only depend on the all powerful influence of the Spirit of God, Whose Divine aid and assistance it becomes us as a Christian people most devoutly to implore. Therefore I move that some minister of the Gospel be requested to attend this Congress every morning . . . in order to open the meeting with prayer."

- Elias Boudinot PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS; SIGNED THE PEACE TREATY TO END THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION; FIRST ATTORNEY ADMITTED TO THE U. S. SUPREME COURT BAR; FRAMER OF THE BILL OF RIGHTS; DIRECTOR OF THE U. S. MINT

Thomas Paine, in his discourse on “The Study of God,” forcefully asserts that it is “the error of schools” to teach sciences without “reference to the Being who is author of them: for all the principles of science are of Divine origin.”

Here is a little information about other signers of the Constitution who were strong Christians: Charles Pinckney and John Langdon—founders of the American Bible Society; James McHenry—founder of the Baltimore Bible Society; Rufus King—helped found a Bible society for Anglicans; Abraham Baldwin—a chaplain in the Revolution and considered the youngest theologian in America; Roger Sherman, William Samuel Johnson, John Dickinson, and Jacob Broom—also theological writers; James Wilson and William Patterson—placed on the Supreme Court by President George Washington, they had prayer over juries in the U. S. Supreme Court room.

If you are interested, you can read more about these Founders and their beliefs on the following websites, or many others which can be found by Googling ‘biblical quotes by Founders” or some such phrase.

http://www.shadesofgrace.org/2010/05/05/is-america-a-christian-nation-more-quotes-from-our-founders/

http://www.wallbuilders.com/libissuesarticles.asp?id=8755

From L.A. Mazulli's Blog--Lest We Forget

New post on L.A. Marzulli's Blog Today is Holocaust Remembrance Day – I didn’t forget…. by lamarzulli I created this short film, lest we forget this happened only decades ago. Holocaust 2013 by L. A. Marzulli Some of the photos you are about to see in the first section of the short, have never been seen before.  Thanks to Laura for the use of these stills.  They were shot by her grandfather who liberated one of the camps.  They are graphic, but show the horrors of the death camps run by the Nazi's.  Antisemitism is on the rise today and I find it alarming.  Hitler knew who the Jews were and killed as many as he could, yet we have people who believe erroneously the Jews are not in Israel today.  The word Holocaust means, a burnt offering on an altar.  This altar was to the god of this world, Satan.  This post will remain all through Tuesday.  Please pass the link on to as many people as you can.  It's time to understand the past so we will prevent this from happening again.   L.A.

Foundation of "Separation" of Church & State by Dr. Art Mathias

This is an informative explanation by Dr. Art Mathias of Wellspring Ministries, of the confusion so many seem to have about what the Constitution has to say on the separation of Church & State. Foundation of "Separation" of Church & State by Dr. Art Mathias In Anchorage, Alaska these non-traditional Christmas messages were posted on city buses:  "Imagine No Religion" "Yes, Virginia, There is No God" "Sleep in on Sundays" "Enjoy Life Now: There is No Afterlife!" I'm sure Anchorage is not the only city  where an Atheist group has been advertising.  Whether it's nativity scenes,  crosses, or Ten Commandments; there always seems to be some sort of controversy during the height of Christian holidays regarding the whole separation of church and state issue.  The debate stems from the First Amendment in the United States Constitution, which is the beginning of what is known as the Bill of Rights. The founders of this nation wanted to make sure some of the most important freedoms were outlined, so that we don't lose them, and no one, especially the government, can take them away. I wonder, what do you know about the history of the Separation of Church and State" in our nation? Sometimes, the word "history" makes too many people zone out and fall asleep, yet the reality is that lack of historical knowledge can lead to very bad decisions!! Here is what the Constitution says: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." Here's the bottom line: The Freedom of the people, especially God's people, to express themselves is protected by the First Amendment.  It's interesting how the enemy (satan) will take something that is true and twist it enough to use it against you, and if you don't know the "word", you can get tricked! Here's the question: Is the separation of church and state in the Constitution?  Is it in the Bill of Rights? No. But here's the problem: In a recent poll, 70% of Americans think the wall of separation that is often used against Christians is somewhere in the Constitution!  It's not.  The idea of separation of church and state was actually formed by Christians to keep the state from encroaching on their freedom to exercise their faith. October 7, 1801 ten years after the ratification of the Bill of Rights, a group of Baptists from Connecticut write to Thomas Jefferson, the 3rd President of the United States.  In their letter, they said, "We are praying for you because we believe the God of America has placed you in the seat of President to serve the people."  They actually sent lists of signed names of those who promised to pray for him.  They go on to say that they feel the 1st Amendment is a bit unclear to us, because it says "the government shall not prohibit the free exercise of religion."  In other words, if the government is saying "we won't prohibit the free exercise of religion," it almost sounds like the government is giving a favor or granting permission to the people of God as if their faith were in the government's control.  So they said, "We believe it is an inalienable right from God to us to be a people of faith, and that is solely in the hands of God and people, it has nothing to do with the government, it is separate from the government." Thomas Jefferson wrote back and said that he fully agreed, because faith is between God and man - it doesn't run through the government, therefore the First Amendment has put a wall of separation between church and state from infringing on the people of faith, hence the phrase, "separation of church and state."  It is totally taken out of context when it is used to prevent Christians from practicing their faith in public or in government.  Context and history are very important! We need to stay aware lest we lose our freedom!  I am so glad that we are still free to exercise our faith, celebrate Jesus, read publicly from His Word, and pray! Let us pray for our Nation! Dr. Art Mathias

Discipleship: What Sheep Can Teach Us

        This is an article written by Lois Tverberg from the excellent website, Our Rabbi Jesus, which has much information on the Jewish roots of the Christian faith and how many of the terms and illustrations in the Bible were interprested by the Eastern mind.  I highly recommend it.  I am particularly fond of Ray VanderLaan's website, Follow The Rabbi.   Ray has excellent teaching materials, including videos, articles, photos, and other information in which he teaches us to see the Bible in an entirely different light through the eyes of Easterners.  There is a wealth of information contained on this site.
       Here is an example of articles found on Lois Tverberg's site:

Discipleship: What Sheep Can Teach Us 
by Lois Tverberg

       I used to think that Jesus’ command to make disciples simply meant teaching people certain beliefs about God, helping them to accept Christ as Lord, and then educating them in doctrinal truth later on.
      Though all these are important, this way of defining discipleship showed that I, like many westerners, approached the gospel primarily as information. Unfortunately, such an approach tends to produce efforts at evangelism that are thinly disguised power grabs. We try hard to foist our belief system onto others, debating with people until they declare our way the best.
       An eastern view of discipleship seems far more in keeping with the gospel. The eastern view encompasses the understanding that Jesus died for our sins and that belonging to him involves repenting and receiving him as Lord. But it also recognizes that Jesus lived transparently in front of his disciples in order to teach them how to live. They, in turn, were to live transparently before others, humbly teaching them the way of Christ.
       This approach involves not just information but transformation. God’s goal isn’t to simply fill the world with people who believe the right things. It is to fill the world with people who shine with the brilliance of Christ.
      Shepherding in Israel is a wonderful metaphor for of this kind of discipleship. In many countries, sheep spend their lives in fenced-in pastures where they spend most of their time grazing and milling about. Many Christians seem to think that the great commission is a matter of getting sheep “into the pen” —inviting people to accept Christ, the high point of their spiritual lives.
       In Israel, however, where grass has difficulty growing in the arid soil, sheep must know their shepherd, following him obediently from pasture to pasture. There, shepherding is a much more active task.
       Judith Fain is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Durham. As part of her studies, she spends several months each year in Israel. One day while walking on a road near Bethlehem, Judith watched as three shepherds converged with their separate flocks of sheep. The three men hailed each other and then stopped to talk. While they were conversing, their sheep intermingled, melting into one big flock.
      Wondering how the three shepherds would ever be able to identify their own sheep, Judith waited until the men were ready to say their goodbyes. She watched, fascinated, as each of the shepherds called out to his sheep. At the sound of their shepherd’s voice, like magic, the sheep separated again into three flocks. Apparently some things in Israel haven’t changed for thousands of years.
      Just like these sheep, what distinguishes us is not so much the “pen” we inhabit, but the shepherd we follow. Some sheep come running as soon as their shepherd calls, but some struggle to obey his lead, going astray whenever temptation strikes. It takes a lot more energy to follow a wandering shepherd than to be cooped up in a pen!
      But we are called to be disciples of a Rabbi who is always on the move, one who wants us to go with him, making disciples to the ends of the earth. We need to learn how to recognize his voice, to go where he wants us to go, and to serve and imitate him so that we can share his good news with the world.

(An excerpt from Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus, which is continued on the ORJ website.)

Pictures of the historic snowstorm in Jerusalem on Jan. 10

      I discovered these beautiful pictures of the snowstorm in Jerusalem on Jan. 10, so thought I would share them with you.   http://www.vosizneias.com/121356/2013/01/10/israel-rare-snowstorm-paralyzes-jerusalem-area-northern-israel/

What abortion has cost America's future

    Have you ever thought about what abortion costs our country monetarily?  This excellent article gives us an idea. Country Guy has always said abortion is one of the reasons for our economic troubles.  Here is support for his belief. 
   (I also enjoyed Jim Denison's wife, Janet's, blog post on the Manti Te'o deception, which you can read here.) 

DR. JIM DENISON, PRESIDENT of The Denison Forum on Truth & Culture JAN 24, 2013

What abortion has cost America's future Every year, 32,000 people die on America's highways.  Every 10 days, that many abortions are performed in our country. This week marks the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that struck down many state laws restricting abortion.  Surprisingly, only 44 percent of Americans under age 30 know that Roe deals with abortion.  Even more surprisingly, 53 percent of Americans think abortion "is not that important, compared to other issues."  Here's why they're wrong. Since Roe, more than 55 million lives have been aborted.  According to the Movement for a Better America, the resulting labor lost to our nation will cost our future GDP some $45 trillion.  By comparison, our national debt stands at $16 trillion.  Consider the impact on Social Security: each day for the next 19 years, 10,000 baby boomers will turn 65.  At current trends, Social Security will be bankrupt in 21 years.  One major reason: of the generation under 45 whose taxes support Social Security, a third was aborted. How can you make a difference on this issue? First, if you are pro-life, can you defend your position?  It is vital that we speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), giving a reason for our faith "with gentleness and respect" (1 Peter 3:15).  For more on the legal, theological, and ethical issues involved in abortion, I invite you to read my essay, "Abortion and the Mercy of God." Second, if you believe life is sacred from the moment of conception, what are you doing to act on your conviction?  My wife and I are strong supporters of the Council for Life in Dallas; what pro-life organization could you support in your community?  Is God calling you to walk through pregnancy with a woman considering abortion?  To share God's mercy with a friend who chose abortion?  To consider adopting a child into your family? Dietrich Bonhoeffer warned us: "Not to speak is to speak.  Not to act is to act." Each time I visit Israel, I am deeply saddened by Yad Vashem, the Holocaust museum in Jerusalem.  As you know, six million Jews were murdered during World War II, one-fourth of them children.  As much as we should grieve the Holocaust, let's remember that 10 times more lives have been ended by abortion. One of the first panels at Yad Vashem displays this statement: "A country is not just what it does—it is also what it tolerates."

Some Puns for Today

      I have always loved puns!  I only wish my mind thought that way, but since it doesn't I'm glad I can enjoy others' creativity.  My brother sent this list in an email.  For those of you wanting to hear more, check out this website:  http://www.punoftheday.com/

I tried to catch some Fog. I mist.
When chemists die, they barium.
Jokes about German sausage are the wurst.
A soldier who survived mustard gas and pepper spray is now a seasoned 
      veteran.
I know a guy who's addicted to brake fluid. He says he can stop any time.
How does Moses make his tea?  Hebrews it.
I stayed up all night to see where the sun went. Than it dawned on me.
This girl said she recognized me from the vegetarian club, but I'd never met 
      herbivore.
I'm reading a book about anti-gravity. I can't put it down.
I did a theatrical performance about puns . It was a play on words.
They told me I had type A blood, but it was a Type- O.
A dyslexic man walks into a bra.
PMS jokes aren't funny, period.
Why were the Indians here first? They had reservations.
Class trip to the Coca-Cola factory. I hope there's no pop quiz.
Energizer bunny arrested. Charged with battery.
I didn't like my beard at first. Then it grew on me.
How do you make holy water? Boil the hell out of it!
Did you hear about the cross eyed teacher who lost her job because she    
     couldn't control her pupils?
When you get a bladder infection, urine trouble.
What does a clock do when it's hungry? It goes back four seconds.
I wondered why the baseball was getting bigger. Then it hit me!
Broken pencils are pointless.
What do you call a dinosaur with a extensive vocabulary? A thesaurus.
England has no kidney bank, but it does have a Liverpool.
I used to be a banker, but then I lost interest.
I dropped out of communism class because of lousy Marx.
All the toilets in New York 's police stations have been stolen. Police have 
      nothing to go on.
I got a job at a bakery because I kneaded dough.
Haunted French pancakes give me the crepes.
Velcro - what a rip off.
Cartoonist found dead in home. Details are sketchy.
Venison for dinner? Oh deer!
Earthquake in Washington obviously government's fault.
I used to think I was indecisive, but now I'm not so sure.
Be kind to your dentist. He has fillings, too.

Ann Coulter's Column Today

ENDING GUN VIOLENCE REQUIRES COMMITMENT, NOT ALL OF IT VOLUNTARY  by Ann Coulter

January 23, 2013

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The good news is: Obama and the Senate Democrats have no intention of passing more idiotic gun legislation in response to the Newtown massacre. The bad news is that they also have no intention of passing any legislation about the mentally ill, which would actually do something to reduce these mass shootings.

Instead, the Democrats will jawbone about "assault weapons" and other meaningless gun laws for the sole purpose of scaring soccer moms into hating the National Rifle Association. Expect to hear a lot about Republicans preferring "the gun lobby" to "children." (Which is evidently not at all like preferring the teachers lobby to children.)

Democrats are hoping to pick up another dozen congressional seats in 2014, so they need terrified women.

Just don't expect a vote. Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid cannot afford a vote on any of these nonsense gun laws because he needs to protect the seats of Democrats who have to get re-elected in districts where voters know something about guns.

Even the stupidest politician has to know how utterly meaningless "assault weapon" bans are. (In fairness, New York's Rep. Carolyn McCarthy and Gov. Andrew Cuomo may not know.) But Democrats need to gin up the most easily fooled voters.

"Assault weapons" are defined as "whatever politicians say they are." The guns that are banned and the ones that aren't are functionally identical. They're all semi-automatics.

Semi-automatics shoot one bullet per trigger pull -- that's the definition. Any handgun manufactured since the Civil War is a "semi-automatic." The most basic self-defense revolver for women is a "semi-automatic."

An example of a gun that is not a semi-automatic is a musket. Also those guns where a "BANG!" flag pops out when the clown pulls the trigger.

An automatic firearm -- what militaries and drug cartels have -- continuously fires when the trigger is pulled. They have been subject to a near-total federal ban in this country since the 1930s, so they're irrelevant to the discussion.

The only differences in the semi-automatics the Democrats want to ban and the ones they don't are purely cosmetic details, such as bayonet mounts or pistol grips.

When is the last time anyone was killed with a bayonet in this country? Bayonets were rarely used even during the Civil War. Obama mocked the idea of bayonets during one of his debates with Romney. Now he's terrified of them!

Semi-automatics with bayonets are some of the guns Democrats call "assault weapons." It would be like defining 12-inch hunting knives with camouflage-colored handles -- but not those with black handles -- as "assault knives." Assault weapons are the semi-automatics that look scary to soccer moms.

An example of the intentional obfuscation about semi-automatics (or "guns") is the "Violence Policy Center" webpage, which states: "Semiautomatic assault weapons are civilian versions of automatic military assault rifles (like the AK-47 and the M-16) and automatic military assault pistols (like the UZI)."

This would be like saying: "Little girls' pink bedrooms are civilian versions of military prisons (like Guantanamo) and terrorist rendition prisons (like CIA Black Sites)."

Yes, exactly alike, except the "prison" part.

Since not all Democrats get to run for office in New York, congressional Democrats can't risk taking votes on such silly laws. Your guns will be safe, but your children won't, because we'll still have the mentally ill showing up at movie theaters, subway stations, shopping malls and schools.

If soccer moms want to worry about something, they should worry more about schizophrenics than guns.

In the late 1980s, New York City Mayor Ed Koch tried to institutionalize Joyce Brown, a mentally ill heroin addict living on the street who went by the name "Billie Boggs" (after local television host Bill Boggs). Brown was defecating on herself, removing all her clothes, burning money, running into traffic and shouting obscenities at passers-by. In other words, she was a prototype for Occupy Wall Street.

Brown's family desperately wanted to have Brown committed to Bellevue Hospital. A Columbia psychiatrist argued for her institutionalization. The neighbors supported her commitment.

But the New York Civil Liberties Union wanted Brown back on the street. Her NYCLU attorney, Robert Levy, boasted that "Billie Boggs" was as sane as "a member of the board of the Civil Liberties Union."

A New York judge, Robert Lippman, agreed –- but not the way I do. Instead of ordering the entire NYCLU board institutionalized, he ordered the release of this poor, mentally disturbed woman. She promptly spoke at Harvard. (Princeton already had Peter Singer.) Then she was back on the street, taking heroin and getting into fights with other homeless people.

Schizophrenics are generally incapable of knowing they need help. Without involuntary commitment, they are abandoned to the streets, getting beaten up, sexually abused, stolen from and set on fire. They also sometimes push people onto subway tracks, murder grandmothers, slaughter firemen and enter "gun-free zones" to commit mass murder.

But the Democrats won't do anything about it. Even if you do not hear voices that tell you to kill strangers, liberals say: "Either we are all mad or none of us is mad." Then they get mouthy about banning guns with bayonets. On which they will not vote. Montana's Sen. Max Baucus has to get re-elected.

COPYRIGHT 2013 ANN COULTER 

A Word from Gary Elkins

Garris Elkins:

A Vision of His Defining Light

      We have just come through a moment in time where the Church has been repositioned into a new place. Few of us really understand this new position. Something has changed. This new place is not yet fully defined, but will become more evident with each passing day as we seek God's face.

      As I prayed to understand this repositioning, I began to see an image. In the image we were standing in a dark room. I could sense this was a room of transition. I could see someone standing at a dimmer switch that controlled the level of light allowed into the room.

      As the dimmer switch was moved up, the level of light within the room began to increase. Those of us in the room started to see dimly lit objects around us. Things that seemed fuzzy in the low light level now began to take shape and definition. As the room became fully illuminated, four objects in the room became visible – a box, a boat, a sword and a journal.

                          I Saw a Box of Expired Methods

      As I looked across the room, the first object I saw was a box. It looked like one of those antique wooden steamer trunks used for travel a hundred years ago. Across the face of the box was a large label that read, "Expired."

      God was letting me know that some of the methods of ministry we have used in the past would no longer be used in the future – they had expired their season of usefulness. Methods that worked in the past had become, for some, a place where faith was no longer needed. The methodology linked to the known methods had now replaced the vulnerability of stepping forward in faith.

                      

                     I Saw a Boat With a Punctured Hull

      In the side of the hull of the boat was a large hole, just below the water line. It was obvious this boat would not be able to float if launched. This hole was defined as "Self-promotion."

      Self-promotion had punctured the hull of the ship where ministry was allowed to become an industry. Industry in the natural requires promotion and advertising in order to survive in the marketplace. I felt the grieving of the Lord over this issue, when He said to me, "If I be lifted up – not what you do in My name – I will draw all men to Myself." I began to repent of this very sin in my own heart.

                I Saw a Sword With a Dull and Chipped Blade

      This sword was large, like a medieval knight's war-sword. The dulled edge of the sword was also chipped. I got the sense that it had been used to strike objects in its dulled state and waschipped because it had lost its ability to cut.

      I knew this sword represented the Word of God. At first, I tried to understand what this meant since God's Word is described to us as "active, alive and sharp." The Word of God is a powerful weapon, so why was it not cutting?

      I began to understand what I was seeing – this was an image of the Word in our hand unused, not the Word in its purest sense. The Word in the hands of some has grown dull because of the lack of use. Our opinions about life, ministry and the Kingdom had replaced the Word. As a result, it was easier to try and use the sword as a weapon to motivate people toward our opinions.

       I believe God is asking some of us to navigate this new place through a return to a Word-based understanding of life and calling. As these images and words came to my mind, the blade of the sword began to repair and glisten in sharpness under the reflecting light in the room.

                       I Saw a Journal Covered With Dust

        This journal was titled "Principles." There was a layer of dust covering the journal. This journal of principles had not been handled for a long time. I began to understand that principles we discovered in the last season had become slogans for our lives in the current season. These principles had lost their power because they had not been used. They had only been spoken, observed and recorded. The dust had gathered on this journal of principles because they had not been handled and had not come in contact with our inner man.

        As I continued to view this now fully illuminated room and its contents, I realized God was calling us to see clearly and to make adjustments that will yield abundance and fruitfulness in this new place. The Early Church did not walk in assumption, nor did they follow intricate and developed long-term plans. They lived in the moment, dependent upon God to illuminate each step they took. This dependence on Him kept the room of their lives clear and uncluttered so they could move freely into the new and unchartered future of faith.

      Father God, turn up the light of Your presence in the room of our lives. Show us the clutter. Show us what we need to reactivate. Make Yourself known to us in this new place so that we can move forward into the full light of Your presence.

Garris Elkins, Senior Leader
Living Waters Church – Medford, Oregon
Email: info@prophetichorizons.com

Festivals & Events projects

     The Festivals & Events Action Team is working on 3 pretty big (at least for us) projects right now.  We are raising funds through donations and engraved bricks to build an amphitheater on the new park land given to the city of Martinsville by the Linn Trust.
    We are also planning to turn this property into a botanical garden by labeling all existing plants and trees with their common and scientific names, and to also plant areas of the Garden with plants chosen to diversify the types of plants in the Garden.
     Our third project involves planning a National Road Festival to be held June 14-16, for our town with a historical theme of festivities--the most exciting--as far as I am concerned--is an equine parade.  Because there are so few parades totally devoted to horses/mules/ponies and horse drawn vehicles we believe this will be a popular addition to the Festival.
     Today I have been thinking about and doing some research on what needs to be included in the registration form for the parade.  I've been enjoying this fun project because I have discovered several other all-horse parades in several different states.  I called the contact person of a parade in Utah to see if he had any information to share with us since this is our first parade.  He was very helpful, gave me his email address, and said we could contact him with any questions. What an interesting way to get connected with other people!
     If you live near our area I hope you will put the weekend of June 14-16 on your calendar.  We believe it is going to be a weekend you won't want to miss, and the beginning of a tradition.

"IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER,YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM"

    I received this email today from a friend.  I have't checked Factcheck or Truthorfiction or Snopes to see if it really was posted in the Waco Tribune and written by a 21 year old because it doesn't matter where it originated.  I totally agree with the content, as I'm sure most who read it will!  Too bad our politicians don't.  If more people see this as a solution, hopefully, we can make them understand with our vote in the next election cycle, so please pass it on.

"IF YOU CAN'T FIX IT WITH A HAMMER,YOU'VE GOT AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM"

This was written by a 21 yr old female who gets it. It's her future she's worried about and this is how she feels about the social welfare big government state that she's being forced to live in! These solutions are just common sense in her opinion.

This was in the Waco Tribune Herald, Waco, TX, Nov 18, 2011

PUT ME IN CHARGE . . .
Put me in charge of food stamps. I'd get rid of Lone Star cards; no cash for Ding Dongs or Ho Ho's, just money for 50-pound bags of rice and beans, blocks of cheese and all the powdered milk you can haul away. If you want steak and frozen pizza, then get a job.

Put me in charge of Medicaid. The first thing I'd do is to get women Norplant birth control implants or tubal ligations. Then, we'll test recipients for drugs, alcohol, and nicotine. If you want to reproduce or use drugs, alcohol, or smoke, then get a job.

Put me in charge of government housing. Ever live in a military barracks? You will maintain our property in a clean and good state of repair. Your home" will be subject to inspections anytime and possessions will be inventoried. If you want a plasma TV or Xbox 360, then get a job and your own place.

In addition, you will either present a check stub from a job each week or you will report to a "government" job. It may be cleaning the roadways of trash, painting and repairing public housing, whatever we find for you. We will sell your 22 inch rims and low profile tires and your blasting stereo and speakers and put that money toward the "common good.."

Before you write that I've violated someone's rights, realize that all of the above is voluntary. If you want our money, accept our rules. Before you say that this would be "demeaning" and ruin their "self esteem," consider that it wasn't that long ago that taking someone else's money for doing absolutely nothing was demeaning and lowered self esteem.

If we are expected to pay for other people's mistakes we should at least attempt to make them learn from their bad choices. The current system rewards them for continuing to make bad choices. 

AND While you are on Gov't subsistence, you no longer can VOTE! Yes, that is correct. For you to vote would be a conflict of interest. You will voluntarily remove yourself from voting while you are receiving a Gov't welfare check. If you want to vote, then get a job. 

13 Prophetic Insights and Decrees for 2013 by Matt Sorger

     I love to read prophetic words!  They give me hope for, and understanding of, the times we live in.  Of course, they have to be 'weighed', as the Bible says.  I have had several of these same insights that Matt Sorger speaks about in this article, and I have read others' declarations, so I am encouraged that God is about to do some great things.

Matt Sorger:

13 Prophetic Insights and Decrees for 2013

As I waited upon God, going into 2013, I received these words from the Lord. Some came in the form of impressions, others came as visions and some came as Scriptures that God was breathing on for this season. Prophetic words are an invitation from the Lord. I sense the following 13 prophetic insights are to be decrees that we aggressively pursue for 2013. They are invitations for us to lay hold of.

                      13 Prophetic Insights and Decrees

1. Stagnant waters will be stirred in a fresh way. I saw pools of Bethesda stirring again and a fresh healing stir being released. God wants His people to lay hold of the divine healing anointing in a fresh way this year. I saw deep seated, lingering disorders being healed, even down to the chromosome level. I saw stubborn areas within the soul and flesh being healed that people have battled with for years.

In John 5:2-5, 9, Christ performs a healing on the Sabbath. Jesus never did anything by chance or accident. He was very purposeful in His intention. God is calling His people to access His healing and power from a place of rest. The Sabbath is more than just a day of rest. It's a spiritual position of rest. In Christ we enter into the Sabbath. We receive because of the finished work Christ has done on the Cross. Rather than begging God for what He has already done, we are to simply step in and receive the finished work. A new level and substance of faith is coming into the heart to receive the finished work. God is highlighting the spirit of faith and understanding the finished work of Christ. Living from the Sabbath position will be crucial in obtaining all God has for us.

2. A prophetic ear will be given to not only hear but to also listen and comprehend. This hearing will also occur from a position of rest in His presence. Key Scriptures are 1 Samuel 3:3, 10. In a time of no widespread revelation and where the eyes of the high priest Eli were growing dim, the light was still burning in the temple near the ark. As Samuel rested before the ark in the presence of God, the voice of God speaks to him. After several times of hearing but not understanding, Samuel is instructed by Eli to say, "Speak Lord for your servant is listening."

There is a big difference between hearing and listening. God is refining the prophetic ear and the prophetic movement. He is calling His prophets and His people to come into a place of rest in His presence in the light of revelation. From that place the voice of God will speak. Not only will His voice be heard, but it will be listened to and comprehended. A new clarity of hearing and perceiving God's voice is coming. It will not be by self-effort or striving; it will be from resting in His presence. Not by might, not by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord.

3. New language will be given by God to properly and clearly communicate truths God is highlighting and speaking. For example, the term "soaking" was not used until the outpouring of God's Spirit in the 90s. This term helped explain the concept of being filled with God's presence. New language will be given by the Spirit to more deeply and clearly understand truths God is bringing forth of spiritual realities.

4. God is giving the blueprints for the new wineskin He is forming. In Joshua 3:3-6, the people were to follow the ark into a way they have never gone before. As we follow the moving of the presence of God, He will lead us by His Spirit into places we have never gone before. The walk of sanctification will be vital in preparation for the wonders God will do. God is saying to be ready to pull the tent pegs up. When the cloud of His presence moves we need to move with Him. We have to be willing to fold up old structures and ways of doing things in order to stay current and fresh with God. God's marching orders will be given. There will be new alignments and relational structures to facilitate the move of God.

5. We will not continue to do things the same way. The cloud of God is moving and with that our activities will shift. Our focuses will shift. Some old structures will have to adapt and morph with the new way God is moving. There will be fresh Spirit-led activity. God doesn't want us to be busy. He wants us to be fruitful. Forms, structures and even activities we have done in the past may shift as God moves in new ways. Be prepared to let go of some things and to embrace and step into some new things you haven't done before. It will be vital to go where the Spirit is breathing. Don't hold onto something God isn't breathing on any longer. Be fruitful by moving and being led by the Spirit.

6. God will be highlighting and deepening within His people an understanding of the true identity of the Believer. Revelation of how to live out of union with God will come forth. We will understand our oneness with God and live out of our inner spirit man. For those who are one with God are one spirit with Him (1 Corinthians 6:17, 19).

7. God is going to bring revelation into foundational, spiritual truths. Things we thought we knew and understood, God is going to have us look again and He is going to give us deeper revelation and understanding into things we thought we knew for years. Look back upon foundational truths, and new light and revelation will be shone upon them bringing the manifestation of true spiritual realities.

8. The understanding of spiritual warfare is shifting. We are moving from "warfare" breakthrough to a "decreeing and establishing" breakthrough. This will occur with a deeper revelation of who and where we are. Rather than fighting into the second heaven from being under, we will rule and reign from the third Heaven being over. I understand that we wrestle not with flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12), and that even Jesus experienced personal warfare when He was tempted by the devil and overcame by the spoken Word of God. This warfare will not be fought to obtain victory, but will be fought from a place of victory.

Christians will live from a third Heaven reality, understanding how to establish on earth as it is in Heaven. A new perspective, a new revelation and with it a new manifestation of Kingdom authority will be released. God is bringing people into a new level of spiritual authority. Ephesians 2:5-6 are key Scriptures. The Church will shift from an Old Testament model of spiritual warfare (Daniel 10:13) into a New Testament revelation ofestablishing what has already been won (Colossians 2:15).

9. This is the season of the fulfillment of dreams. Many are being brought from a time where the word of the Lord tested them. The second dream to Joseph was highlighted to me in Genesis 37:9-11. In it Joseph sees eleven stars and the sun and the moon bowing down to him, speaking of his promotion into a position of authority and influence. Eleven plus two is thirteen, the number of this year. People are going to step into the manifestation of unfulfilled dreams. The warfare of the last season is being washed away and a new heavenly perspective is being granted. Just as Joseph's betrayal and trial maneuvered him into his assignment and destiny, so will the trials and testings in our lives propel us into our destinies. Key Scriptures are Genesis 37:9, Genesis 45:5-8, Psalm 105:17-24.

10. God is delivering people from burdens. But it's not just the removal of burdens. As Psalm 81:6-7 says, He will remove our shoulder from the burden and bring deliverance. This is different than the burden being removed from us. It's us being removed from under the burden. Get ready for divine shifting that will maneuver you out from underneath burdens into a place of deliverance. In other words, situations or people may stay the same, but you will be maneuvered out from underneath them. It's a season of deliverance for those who call on the name of the Lord.

Psalm 105:37-44 show 10 promises accompanying this deliverance. These include financial provision, divine health, fear of the Lord on the enemy, the covering of His presence, light in the darkness, food, dry places refreshed, joy, lands and nations, and reaping where you haven't labored. Lay hold of these promises for you, your family, church, ministry and business.

11. There is a generational convergence taking place. It's a season for new, young leaders to be mentored and raised up. Generations are converging together and will function together in relationship for the purpose of multiplication. Generational wells and new wells will open together. Fathers and mothers will take their place and sons and daughters will come into their place. Those that have not been fathers will now step into a fathering role. Genesis 26:18-24 are key Scriptures for this.

12. I saw a vision of an open door. This is the year of the open door. As we run through it we will come into divine acceleration. New favor, new opportunities and new advancements. Key Scriptures are Revelations 3:7-13. God will keep us from the hour of trial coming upon the whole earth. It's time to hold fast what you have so no one robs you of your crown. Have patient endurance. The name of God will be upon us.

13. I saw a vision of the Lord blowing upon a flickering flame. Usually when someone blows on a candle the flame goes out. But as God breathed upon the flame within us it got brighter and hotter. It will be a season of renewing our first love for God (Revelation 2:2-7). God is bringing both an encouragement and warning that if our works are not done from the place of first love, the candlestick can be removed. Ministry work must be done from the place of first love for Jesus. God is calling people back to the simplicity of worship and living a life in His presence. This will also bring deeper consecration, holiness and divine fire as a result. A key verse is Matthew 12:20, A smoldering wick He will not snuff out.

I encourage you to pray over these 13 prophetic insights and decrees. Meditate on them and apply them to your lives as the Holy Spirit leads you.

Matt Sorger
Matt Sorger Ministries
Email: info@mattsorger.com