Isn't it sad, sick, ironic, and totally predictable* that those who think they are God's gift to humanity and claim to be "holding back" the forces of sin, are in fact the very ones who are promoting evil the most?!

* And even predicted in the Bible.

Here's the easiest passage to share with you. Just read all of Matthew 23, notice how Jesus rages against those who block the entrance to God's kingdom.

Yes, the "law givers" are the focus of Jesus' rage. But who does that mean these days? Well, in the U.S. it obviously includes those in the highest levels of government. But it also includes religious leaders. And since lobbyists and corporations have gross control over our govt. they too count as those controlling our government's laws. (Even though many of them are the "men of lawlesness" who are doing their best to gut regulations, or make them so complex that no one understands or follows them.)

Many? Most? All? will be joining the murderous suicide bombers who think they are doing God's will by blowing others up, joining those who trained them and egged them on, and even those who stayed silent but thought "good." Read the Old Testament prophecies, and what Jesus said.

Is this just some blind rage against all politicians? No. Actually it's due to various preaching I've heard on TV. By those who are desperate to fulfill the prophecies of Jesus.

Today we begin a new series of essays under the heading "Similarities of the Extremists."

There is a strange irony with many people who are extreme on various issues. Even though they say they are far apart from people they consider their opposites or opposition, often they have a lot in common with each other.

Instead of trying to write every instance of what I've noticed over the years and put it all in one essay I will just write short essays and post them under this section.

Since many of these extremists are either directly or tangentially destroying the world, this section will be placed under "World Destruction."

Coming soon!

Down with the religious "leaders" who preach their version of politics more than feeding the souls of their congregations!

Down with the religious teachers who stand in front of "believers" and beat the true believers while encouraging the wolves in sheep's clothing!

I know this is not exactly breaking news at the moment, not that it was when he uttered it, but it's been jabbing me every day since I heard it, so it's finally time to write it down.

On the PBS NewsHour's December 1, 2009 show, Arizona Senator John McCain (Republican) said something that made me cringe. You might still be able to download the segment. You can fast forward to 2:55 to hear the section I quote below.

Gwen Ifil is describing the (then proposed) "surge" of troops in to Afghanistan and Pakistan. First there is a Democratic politician quoted, then McCain:

Ifil: Most Republicans have urged the President to send more troops. But Arizona Senator John McCain, Mr. Obama's opponent in last fall's election, offered a mixed review.

McCain: The way that you win wars is to break the enemy's will.

That is just absurd! Wasn't he tortured? Wasn't he against torture? What is the definition of torture? Isn't it to "break the enemy's will" and get them to spill some beans or convince them to be a double agent?

Why is it our government hires people from foreign lands who supposedly write well on the Internet, and those people end up killing themselves and U.S. citizens?

What about the people of our own country who write well?

Is it because we want the U.S. to not crash and burn? Is it because were are not trying to trick our fellow citizens, enslave them with debt, or kill them?

Is it because we write concisely and to-the-point, and our government only seems to hire people whose writing is as clear as mud?

That's Jesus to many of us. Isa to others.

Instead of letting better organizations than the war machine work to help foreign countries, instead of admitting the wars around the world don't do much more than fill the pockets of the rich and stomp God's green earth to death, instead of admitting that all these wars are a vain attempt to make certain plants extinct, it seems Back Obama recently confirmed our worst fears.

Summarizing what he said, we are just a nation of war. It was something like that. He believes in only war. We should just focus on war. It was something like that.

Since I don't remember when, it seems our country is all about war. The military run our government even though they pretend not to, sounds like Revelation 13 to me. It also sounds like Daniel 7:7.

It also sounds like the exact opposite of what the Founding Fathers wanted. In the Declaration of Independence they were angry at the King of Britain for working to make the military authority higher than the civilian authority. This is obviously where we are today, and the U.S. is clearly trying to force that mindset on other countries around the world.

The irony is that it is making us less safe; I thought Brother Barack knew that. Isn't that why his first interviews and speaking engagements seemed to be in the Middle East?

Here are some other possible headlines:

Some TV Preachers Work Hard to Strain Out One Gnat Then Swallow Camels Whole

Some TV Preachers Work Hard to Claw at the Specks in Others' Eyes While Overlooking the Logs in Their Own

If you want to know what I'm talking about, then you should probably turn on religious TV stations once in a while and read the Bible, in particular the New Testament, and in particular the books: John, Luke, Mark, and Matthew.

I guess I should add that this not only applies to some personalities I've seen on TV, but a number of them who are not.

Outraged over the government's interest in "Net Neutrality" wireless carriers shouted in protest.

They issued their demands:

• We demand to continue overselling our bandwidth.
• We demand to have way more customers than can access our network at once.
• We demand to charge them all full price and hefty premiums for the privilege of thinking that.
• We demand to continue to waste untold sums on TV advertising and other advertising telling everyone how great we are and that there is competition in our industry!

"Look what happened to the banks when they loaned out so much more money than they had, and insured vastly larger assets than they ever had hopes to cover."

"We demand to be like failed civilizations who had (and have) so many more mouths to feed than food, so many more people to house than shelter available or resources to build shelters, so many more people to clothe than animal skins to provide them with…" the spokesman huffed and puffed and ran out of steam temporarily.

"We demand to have more customers than we can accommodate and charge them all huge amounts as though they could access the network at any time they please! It is totally Un-American to do otherwise! Do you hate capitalism? Are you a dirty commie?!"

"Everyone knows the U.S. is filthy rich, this is why we charge so much more money than every other country on the planet for the exact same products and services! We demand to bankrupt them!"

"We refuse to take responsibility for our actions and will continue a smoke-and-mirrors game blaming others for our faults! We demand to have more customers than we can accommodate and charge them all the most expensive prices possible! Our executives and shareholders — and handsomely-enriched Congressional lackeys — demand nothing less and they're the only ones who matter!"

Brief Background

A while ago, I wrote an essay, "TD Jakes Preaches, Abraham Listens to God, Doesn't Worship Paper." Part of the essay — the beginning — was devoted to a particular sermon delivered by that man and how great it was. I'd been meaning to write that essay for a while, but after seeing his sermon I just couldn't stand it any more and rushed out an essay. Not one of my better pieces of writing. However, God recently showed me it was an accurate interpretation I was trying to share, after I read some from Deuteronomy.

Strategic Side Note

But first an interesting side note that's totally relevant. I wrote that essay nearly one year to the day before TD Jakes' house exploded, or at least part of it! And you know what? If he hadn't changed his rut-like routine, he would have been blown up too. In the video I link to below he describes himself as "very systematic, extremely systematic," and says "every Sunday morning around six o'clock I go in to a certain part of my house to get dressed, and at six-thirty, one of my deacons comes to pick me up. Every Sunday morning I'm in the same room at the same time, every Sunday morning."

He goes on to describe how he felt he should change his routine. If he had not he would have been in the exact spot that blew up! You can see and hear him describe it in his own words by downloading the video, "Manpower 2009, Pt 3." It is definitely another powerful message from the man.

Don't Worship the Dry Tree

All of that goes to support the lesson I tried to share in the previous essay, we are to listen to God, who is alive, and who talks to us.

WE ARE NOT TO WORSHIP THE BIBLE!

I used a quote from Luke, Luke 23:27-31. Here is the last part, a quote from Jesus (NIV):

“… For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

Bruce Barton

“When you’re through changing, you’re through.”

Who is/was Bruce Barton?* A fundraiser for Barack Obama? A left-wing nut bent on turning the U.S. into another form of government? An anti-democracy or anti-federalist nut-case closely watched by the CIA, FBI, and Homeland Security? The anti-Christ? Someone who hated Jesus?

Isn't it ironic that so many people who mistakenly take Cain's indignant statement to God—"am I my brother's keeper?"—as though it was a command, seem to be the very ones shouting the loudest against an intelligent and compassionate healthcare system, like every other modern society has? One that is more interested in keeping people healthy and fixing ills quickly versus making executives rich and enriching their shareholders? Isn't this so much bigger than a miniscule portion of the population seeking enormous financial gain from driving so many to bankruptcy?

It's written that God asked Cain where Abel was. Well, Cain had just attacked his brother and killed him. [Genesis 4:8-9] God asks, "Where's your brother Abel?" Cain replies, obviously guilty and indignant, "I don't know. Am I my brother's keeper?"

Some people take Cain's statement as a directive that we are to be keepers of fellow humans. But what kind of keepers?

Why are so many people who call themselves Christians so busy looking for the anti-Christ?

It's it written in Revelation (ch. 11-13), foretold by Yeshua/Jesus (Matt 17, Mark 9, Luke 1), and alluded to in the Old Testament (Malachi 4) that Elijah returns and preaches before the anti-Christ shows up.

But I don't hear one word about Christians trying to see who is "the Elijah who is to come" (see Matt, Mark, Luke refs. above) or figuring out from scripture what he might say or do.

Focusing on Finding the Devil

Most of what I hear is a drumbeat of people trying to pinpoint the anti-Christ, calling various forms of government tools of the Devil, and misstating that in Revelation there will be a "one world currency." In fact it does not say that at all. Read the end of Revelation 13 and you will not read anything about one world currency; here's what you'll read: the mean creatures being foretold force their wills on everyone and that includes having some kind of "mark" that allows them to buy or sell. Here are the relevant passages, 14-18 (NIV):

Dear People,

I would appreciate some suggestions on where to move to.

I am exceedingly discouraged by the town I live, the state I live, and even the country I live in.

I will kick the dust off my shoes as I leave each one.

I am a hard worker, love to laugh, love to play guitar and sing, love nature and "the outdoors," I've been recyling since the 1970's, I've been gardening since the 1980's, I've been a computer user since 1979, more info upon request.

Help!

Dear Fellow Christians,

Please DO NOT EVER chant, "Death to ________." (Anything.)

We are to pray for our enemies and people who persecute us. That means to pray they repent, pray good things for them, etc…

Just like Haman lead around Mordecai in the book of Esther, this is the outcome we will see.

The mean-spirited and hypocrites will be your servants. They used your name and things you liked as curse words; Old Testament prophecy claims things will be the opposite, once justice is realized on earth (not by human hands), you will have an even better name! The things they hated will be shown to be superior.

In the mean time, turn the other cheek, do not stoop to their level of slander. Ignore them. If you must "battle" them, then use facts, and avoid being like them: trying to murder goodness with lies, slander, and guilt-by-association reasoning.

This morning someone visited the website, coming from Google and was searching for

help for hyper religious people

and was directed to my letter to Overly Hyper-Religious People.

However, it may not have offered the seeker the information s/he was hoping for.

Best Help

So what is the best help for hyper-religious people? Probably the return of Jesus so he can take away the hyper-religious people he wants with him. :-)

And the hyper-religious people he doesn't want with him, he'll leave on earth so they can contemplate their ways and be refined.

Then the non-religious people will see the difference.

Another Answer

However, this still may not be the answer the seeker was searching for…

Without knowing the circumstances surrounding the hyper-religiosity—the age of the person, the religion, relationships the person is currently involved in, and so forth—it's not fair for me to give a list of "To Do's."

Probably What You Were Looking For

However, the best thing you can do is to talk about it. You may share your feelings too. With regard to the specifics of the religion, the less accurate it is, the less likely it will withstand scrutiny, so ask questions and get them to question themselves.

You may write what you want below in the Comments section.

I'm not sure anyone is following my progress on updating the language of the U.S. Founding Documents (and other related documents), but if there are, then perhaps they're wondering, "where is the update for 2009?"

Well I have very good news and slightly disheartening news.

Did you know that fatty deposits on your heart are not soft fat (like you might have seen in a cellulite collection container), but hard fat? It literally makes it harder for your heart to pump.

Did you know that in the Bible, God talks about people and their hearts getting hard?

Did you know that in the Bible, God talks about calloused hearts?

References to hard hearts.

2 Chronicles 36:13
Psalm 17:10, Psalm 73:7, Psalm 95:8, Psalm 119:70
Proverbs 28:14
Isaiah 6:10, Isaiah 63:17
Zechariah 7:12

Mark 6:52, Mark 8:17, Mark 10:5
Matthew 13:15, Matthew 19:8

God told Jared Diamond to write "Collapse."

Jared Diamond may not think so, but that's just for the time being. :-)

I say as much in a few essays. Feel free to read them.

• The More There is of Something, The Less Valuable It Becomes, Including People's Value of Other People
• Earth to Moon

Related Essays

• Biodiversity and Immigration
• Human Trafficking
• Woke Up This Morning and Found I Had 70 Extra Children

Welcome to the newly-created "Healthcare" section of the Intra-Societal Analyses pamphlet.

It is accurate and the Absolute Truth to say “there are such things as ‘absolute truths.’”

Absolute Truths are statements, facts, information, etc… that are true, whether or not humans know about them or agree with them.

Case-in-Point

Even though the ancient Roman Catholic Church held the official opinion the sun orbited the earth, they were wrong. Their mistaken beliefs about the solar system did not alter the reality about our solar system!

Just because they believed "the sun orbits the earth is true," did not mean they were right in any way, shape, or form.

Their incorrect understanding of the facts did not cause the earth to stop orbiting the sun, and did not cause the sun to orbit the earth instead.

They stayed wrong no matter how long and hard they trumpeted how right they were, pointing to all the “obvious evidence.” They were wrong no matter how many people they excommunicated, imprisoned, or worse.

The Absolute Truth was, and has remained, the earth orbits the sun.

Yes, this is good news, there are such things as “Absolute Truths” that stay true no matter what people think.

I hope this knowledge gives you comfort when you are treated badly. There are many essays around here that address being treated badly.

Another Case-in-Point, Another Irony

Another method for proving there are such things as Absolute Truths is a statement used to trick people into thinking there aren't. What statement? "There are no such things as Absolute Truths."

In that statement you can see the contradiction, they want you to believe it as true, but if we accept "there are no things such as Absolute Truths" as true, it immediately contradicts itself.

Final Notes

It should be noted recently the Roman Catholic Church apologized for their treatment of (at least) Galileo Galilei.

Also note this is not an attack on the Roman Catholic Church. I picked the former example since I considered it ironic.

This story is really a great story of love. Get ready to wipe the tears from your eyes! Here are some excerpts:

It's no wonder she embraced this philosophy of self-reliance. She knew how unexpectedly life can rob you of someone you care about. My parents adopted me as an infant and went on to have a biological child -- my brother, Jason -- a couple of years later.

My dad was an electrician, and he died in an accident on the job when I was three. After his death, my mother had to raise us alone, and she was acutely aware that she was truly on her own, with no backup plan. She was fiercely strong and yet constantly fearful.

Then, on February 18, 1991, when I was 17, my mother suddenly died of a brain aneurysm. One minute she was laughing with friends, enjoying an evening out; the next, she was unconscious on the floor. She never woke up. Just 19 hours later, she was dead, leaving my 15-year-old brother and me orphans.

Read the rest of the story here:

Adopted by a man who used to date my mom

http://www.CNN.com/2009/LIVING/personal/06/19/rs.mom.died.boyfriend.adop...