DNA Evidence Supports Book of Mormon

That’s right, critical DNA Evidence Supports the Book of Mormon, Wow! It seems like only a little while back I read where DNA samplings and the analysis of their finding pretty much closed the door on Book of Mormon claims that America was populated by ancient Israelite ancestry. Theories that ancient Americans must have migrated from Asia, theories which have been taught in public schools and universities as if they’d been proven fact, would have negated as impossible claims made in the Book of Mormon that at least one migration originated from Jerusalem, more specifically, certain Indians in America were direct descendants of Joseph as found in the Bible.

The Living Hope Ministries took a great deal of pride in their anti-Mormon DVD titled, DNA vs The Book of Mormon , which attempted to use incomplete scientific research to discredit the Book of Mormon. Now, only a few years later more complete scientific information has turned the evidence a hundred and eighty degrees and makes a very strong foundational case for the Book of Mormon using a more comprehensive use of DNA findings taken from North American Indians and comparing it with that of European and Middle East DNA.

I was given a copy of Rod Meldrum’s lecture on DVD, DNA Evidence for Book of Mormon Geography . I found the presentation compelling, having a strong bias towards the Book of Mormon to begin with made for a pleasant afternoon. I’d recently finished reading, Voices From the Dust , by David Calderwood and found it to be informative, containing sufficient archeological evidence to make theories of a mass migration from Asia falter; but vague at best in its support of geographical information found in the Book of Mormon.

While nothing can take the place of a faith based testimony regarding the truthfulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as found in the Book of Mormon, I find it refreshing when archeological evidence or other scientific means solidify my beliefs as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, my belief that Joseph Smith was the prophet to bring in the Fullness of Times and that the Book of Mormon is the most correct of any book to be found. By definition all truths, both spiritual and physical can eventually be interlaced to form a unified body, which is an important warning to those who would attempt to tear down that which is sacred.

Those who would continue their attempts to shake the foundations of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints should give heed; the Bible warns in Acts 9:5, “And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. There is a more specific warning found in Doctrine and Covenants 121:38, “Behold, ere he is aware, he is left unto himself, to kick against the pricks, to persecute the saints, and to fight against God.”

Speeding Ticket Starts IAD Investigation

I read on KPRC’s website where a Houston police officer is the focus of an Internal Affairs investigation for writing a speeding ticket ; oh yea, the ticket was issued to the mother of the officer’s captain. Several points of interest come to mind.

For the most part, and I say this as a retired police officer, a good majority of traffic tickets issued serve no purpose other than to raise revenue. Speeding tickets are perhaps the most flagrantly abused instrument in the criminal justice system and yet because they raise so much money you won’t find many at city hall or in top positions within the police department complaining; that is unless it’s the police captain whose mother got a ticket.

In order to successfully prosecute any “crime”, and traffic violations fall into the category of crimes against the peace and dignity of the State, each element of the crime must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. ( As a side note, tickets issued for running red lights at camera controlled intersections are considered civil violations and do not require the same amount of proof as would a criminal complaint.) A speeding violation must prove that the violator was driving at a speed which put the rest of his fellow citizens in danger by ignoring, not only the posted speed limit; but more importantly, ignoring current road conditions and the normal flow of traffic.

Speed limits are determined in a variety of ways. If looked at carefully, posted speed limits would be found to be purely arbitrary and have little if any relationship with safety, road conditions or the well being of anyone. ( I will eventually get back to the topic of the officer writing a ticket to the “wrong person”.) Issuance of speeding tickets to folks, in most cases, is an insult against their personal dignity, not against the peace and dignity of the State; but for some reason such abuse is taken as if to say, “It’s not that bad; after all, I was going faster than that sign said I should.”

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that 90% of the drivers on the road use what I call the “plus 9” speed limit system; what ever the posted speed limit indicates, add up to 9 mph to that number and be relatively assured that you won’t get a speeding ticket because that’s what a majority of the other drivers are doing. The idea of staying within that margin is to avoid getting a ticket; never does the idea of being reckless in your conduct to the point of endangering the rest of the driving public enter into that thought process.

There are exceptions, as with most any rule, which apply to those individuals who really don’t give any care to driving at speeds far in excess of rational judgment, who deserve further “enlightenment” and a good stiff fine for having scared the bejebbers out of everyone else as they broke the sound barrier in the next lane over. Most folks would agree that some traffic tickets, even some speeding tickets actually meet the criteria necessary to convict; to include the words, “against the peace and dignity of the state”.

The other extreme would include retired buggy whip manufactures and ladies with blue hair afraid to drive over 30 mph, even on the freeways. These folks are the nicest neighbors you ever wanted to shoot. They think freeway posted speeds should be just a little faster than school zones and anyone driving faster should get a speeding ticket and have their license revoked or at the very least suspended for several years.

Now, getting back to the officer who is under the gun for writing a speeding ticket to the wrong person; shouldn’t it be the captain who is being investigated? Isn’t Captain Moore guilty of much more? Does the term official oppression come to mind?

“Capt. Ceasar Moore, head of HPD's North Patrol Command, filed a formal written complaint against the officer when he learned that his mother had gotten a speeding ticket from the officer.”

The other side of the coin would include yet another issue which was brought up in the article.

“The ticket was written near the Hardy Toll Road and the North Loop 610 by HPD Officer Randy Barton, assigned to a specialized radar traffic enforcement detail and described by fellow officers as one of the top ticket-writers in the city.”

Translated to laymen terms, Officer Barton would have written his own mother a ticket. He wasn’t picking on his captain’s mother; in the crudest of terms that even his fellow officers would use, Officer Barton has exemplified the title, “chicken shit”. He’s working in a division which requires a “CS” mentality and he has chosen to become one the most efficient ticket writer in the group. If we looked up his family history it’s quite possible there would be a retired buggy whip manufacturer hidden in the wood pile.

All that having been said, look for the implementation of camera controlled speeding tickets on a roadway near you. Red light cameras have already generated in excess of 21 million dollars; greedy government looking for ways to stabilize the budget in a weak economy will not have the ability to resist the natural next step.

Baseball Season Warm Up

Spring training is just around the corner; a chance for players to work on the basics, announcers to learn the new roster and cameramen to follow the action. Pitchers and catchers report very soon and before you know it, the boys of summer will be ready.

This morning with the covers pulled up snug, a chill in the air pulling me away from dreamland; I was watching a televised spring training game. There was a very light dusting of snow on the field; unusual for Florida anytime of year. The camera was aimed toward shallow left field where someone from my team had flicked a low arching pop up that was going to drop in.

I could hear the announcer calling the play by play as our man rounded first trying to stretch it into a leg double, the odds marginal at best. The left fielder gathered the ball and made his throw toward second and the camera backed off from the close up to give a wider angle; however, it never showed the close play being called by the announcer, the aim of the camera still lost with a shot of the left fielder’s arm having released the throw.

There’s the tag and the dust from the slide; is he safe or out? How would I know, the cameraman has no idea what his job is. I throw my hands up in disgust, tossing a few well chosen insults at the imbecile working the camera.

There was no call as yet by the umpire, our man stood up, dusted himself off and moved back along the path he’d taken as he took off his batting gloves. The camera finally got to the right area of the field; but it was too late to have seen the slide or the tag being applied; was he safe or out? I couldn’t tell if he was walking back to the dug out or handing his gear off to the first base coach when the dream ended.

Spring training games are interesting; but what kind of fool schedules any game that early in the morning? Come on guys, get real.

Cops Delivering Bad News

CNN had an article on their website this morning, “Cops: Bearing News of a Loved One’s Death is Worst Part of Job” . The issues brought out are not normally considered by the public when they think of police work.

“You ask yourself: How would you want to deliver this message, because people are going to remember this for the rest of their life,” said Danny Agan, a retired police officer who spent 29 years on Atlanta's force, including heading up its homicide unit.”

A little further down in the article my night shift police humor landed on a line, purely out of context; it came off as a bit morbid.

“But, he said, “leaving somebody hanging is a bad choice as well.”

I know; he was referring to the idea of closure and making sure the information was given properly; all the same I couldn’t help the image which popped into my mind of walking away from the scene of a body with a rope suspended from the rafters. I heard rumors, and they must have been made up, of a homicide detective who’d been told not to work overtime because the budget was already stretched beyond its limits; anyway, according to the rumor the detective “clocked off” and left a suicide victim hanging because his shift had ended.

Working evening shift as a young police officer, my partner and I were sent to deliver a “death in the family” message. It wasn’t the first time and neither of us felt comfortable being the spokesperson when we knocked on the door. Upon entering the house everyone knew bad news was coming as shrieks and wailing began.

The shrieks and wailing quickly turned ugly with a couple of folks turning their sorrow into anger directed towards my partner and me. They were cursing and screaming at us when a “solution” presented itself. I quietly informed one of them that my partner was an assistant to the police chaplain and requested they refrain from using the Lord’s name in vain. It was like a blanket had been thrown over them; each of them quickly shared the information and began apologizing for having shown anger.

My partner wasn’t sure what had happened as I whispered in his ear so he’d go along. There was no arguing the fact that my “solution” had worked. From then on we each would take turns being the assistant police chaplain on calls where folks were swearing and making things ugly; amazing how well that worked. It didn’t have to be a death in the family call, most any mild disturbance that didn’t require immediate wrestling skills could be brought under control once they understood that a man of the cloth was present.

Family Keepsake

This morning’s lessons at church had to do with the sacred nature of the Sacrament and what it means in our lives. Reference was tied to a talk given by Dalen H. Oaks during last October’s General Conference, Sacrament Meeting and the Sacrament .

“In his writings on the doctrines of salvation, President Joseph Fielding Smith teaches that we partake of the sacrament as our part of commemorating the Savior’s death and sufferings for the redemption of the world. This ordinance was introduced so that we can renew our covenants to serve Him, to obey Him, and to always remember Him.”

Here is the Sacrament Prayer offered before the bread is passed to the congregation as found in the Doctrine and Covenants; the prayer for the water is found two verses later.

“O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, Jesus Christ, to bless and sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it, that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given them; that they may always have his Spirit to be with them. Amen.”

There is heavy emphasis on taking the name of Jesus Christ and remembering Him. We take on the name of Jesus Christ upon entering the waters of baptism and remembering Him is something of a personal issue, a moment by moment task of doing what we know to be right and resisting that which we know to be wrong.

When I was growing up my folks would take extra care to remind us how important it was to act in such a way as to never bring shame to our family name. As we left the house there would be a moment taken, eye to eye contact to make sure we were paying attention, “Remember who you are.” At the time the information related to only our direct family, extending perhaps as far as my grandparents; however, in the larger meaning of the words, “Remember who you are”, the entire Plan of Salvation comes into play.

“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” Genesis 1:26,27

Primary children sing a simple song which reminds us who we are, I am a child of God. The importance of knowing who you are, where you came from and where you want to go all depend on accepting your birthright.

I am a child of God,
And he has sent me here,
Has given me an earthly home
With parents kind and dear.

Lead me, guide me,
walk beside me,
Help me find the way.
Teach me all that I must do
To live with him someday. (“I Am a Child of God,” Hymns, no. 301.)

The blessings of the Abrahamic Covenant were explained by Elder Russell M. Nelson in his talk, Children of the Covenant , printed in the Ensign May, 1995.

“We are also children of the covenant. We have received, as did they of old, the holy priesthood and the everlasting gospel. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are our ancestors. We are of Israel. We have the right to receive the gospel, blessings of the priesthood, and eternal life. Nations of the earth will be blessed by our efforts and by the labors of our posterity. The literal seed of Abraham and those who are gathered into his family by adoption receive these promised blessings—predicated upon acceptance of the Lord and obedience to his commandments.”

This is a reminder that we are eternal in nature, that we have the opportunity to enjoy the blessings poured out by our Father in Heaven if only we acknowledge and keep the commandments; we literally are children of our Father in Heaven and are expected to return with honor.

One of the questions asked today had to do with keepsakes, items of personal value which go far beyond any monetary assessment. Hands went up and examples were given, all relevant to the topic; a set of scriptures which had been used by a grandmother, a flag which once owned by family member and so on. I withheld my answer, not wishing to distract from the lesson being given, mostly as I’d not yet put my thoughts together as to how I would present them without sounding flippant.

My most important keepsake would have to be my name. “Remember who you are”, being engrained into my head as my parents tried to teach the same lesson Polonius left with his son Laertes in Shakespeare’s Hamlet, “This above all: to thine own self be true”.

I’ve mentioned in other writings that my folks are not members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints; never the less, and with a certain amount of pride, I can relate to the opening line given by Nephi in the Book of Mormon, “I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents…” I’ve no family records to indicate how a great ancestor of mine crossed the Great Plains in a covered wagon with the Saints, no Martin Handcart saga of heroism or extreme personal suffering at the hands of the Missouri Mob. I’m one of those “converts”, adopted into the Abrahamic Covenant.

I do have an active imagination and a flare for writing, or so I’ve been told on occasion. I created, for myself, a piece of history that ties me to the Book of Mormon, something which would make the rest of my friends more than a little envious, even if it’s a figment of my imagination . It’s a plain blue marble, what kids from an era gone by would call a Shooter, larger than average and quite beautiful to look at.

I said it was a plain blue marble; what I neglected to mention was that it’s one of the pieces of stone which the Brother of Jared presented to the Lord to touch so his family could cross the great sea with a form of safe illumination.

“And I know, O Lord, that thou hast all power, and can do whatsoever thou wilt for the benefit of man; therefore touch these stones, O Lord, with thy finger, and prepare them that they may shine forth in darkness; and they shall shine forth unto us in the vessels which we have prepared, that we may have light while we shall cross the sea.”

Once you’ve figured out who you are, where you came from and where you are going; what kind of effort are you willing to put forth in order to gain the blessings of the Lord? Each time I take the Sacrament the eternal nature of my being tells me, in the most simple of terms, how I’ve taken upon myself the name of Jesus Christ and that I can return to my Father in Heaven because of the Atonement. That, my friends, is reason enough to attend church on Sunday.

Four Dollar Hair Cut

My loyalty to the barber I used for several years couldn’t compete when he kept raising the price, eventually over $12, not including a customary tip. I’d been driving past another place where they advertized haircuts for $3.99. That’s been about a year now and I’ve no complaints; they cut hair and it grows back each month.

The barbers are oriental, my guess would be Vietnamese; but that’s just a guess. Each time I visit a different barber cuts my hair, some better than others; but the old rule my friend Steve uses still applied, “What’s the difference between a good haircut and a bad one?” The answer used to be “Three weeks”; but since my hair doesn’t grow so fast on top anymore, “Two months”.

Today I sat down and the young woman pointed to her box of scalping tools, I mean clipper attachments. I had no idea what, “Chon swhi bok ton” meant; however, after she took the first pass over the top of my head I worked out a rough translation. “Take it down short so folks salute him when he enters the room.”

The good thing is I do have a sense of humor and, yes; it will grow back, eventually. I don’t think anyone ever saluted a Spec 4 when I was in the Army; maybe I should have gone for OCS and become an officer.

As for the self portrait; no, that’s not a tumor on the side of my neck. I took this picture holding the camera at arms length and that’s a fold of skin.

Getting the Yard Ready for Spring

I know you folks up north will start laughing at the idea of mowing yards this time of year; but here in Houston things work a bit differently. This afternoon I mowed the yard, mostly to get the leaves bagged up to use in the vegetable garden later on. Tomorrow, with any luck, I’ll put down an application of Scotts Weed and Feed.

Each winter the St. Augustine grass goes into hibernation; I’m not an expert so I make up the words as I go along. Weeds sprout up all over place and start to take over; kind of a never ending battle, so I use Weed and Feed.

I read some uncomplimentary remarks on the internet about the use of all purpose weed and feed fertilizers; but I’ve had great success each year with Scotts products. My guess is the folks spreading that “manure” are in competition with Scotts. There are some environmental whackos who don’t want anyone using weed killer products because we might destroy the planet. I’m only after Dollar Weed and those other unsightly weeds that are trying to take over the yard, at the moment; I’ll get to the environmental whackos later.

The photo I used was posted by some environmental whacko who doesn’t want folks using this product. I cut off the environmental warning that had been added; so sue me for not giving credit, I couldn’t find a picture of the exact product I’m using anyway.

I’m sure the environmental whackos have something to say about the destruction of the planet if you put salt down on the driveway, better you have a heart attack shoveling than for the spotted sewer toad to go extinct or some such insane excuse to keep you under their thumb. Okay, get back to shoveling snow; spring is a long way off for y’all (“youse guys”).

CRABBY OLD MAN

My sister sent this to me and asked that I share it.

When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in North Platte , Nebraska, it was believed that he had nothing left of any value .

Later, when the nurses were going through his meager possessions, they found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital.

One nurse took her copy to Missouri. The old man’s sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas edition of the News Magazine of the St Louis Association for Mental Health. A slide presentation has also been made based on his simple, but eloquent, poem. And this little old man, with nothing left to give to the world, is now the author of this ‘anonymous’ poem winging across the Internet.

Crabby Old Man

What do you see, nurses? . . . What do you see?
What are you thinking .. . . when you're looking at me?

A crabby old man. . . .. not very wise,
Uncertain of habit . . . . with faraway eyes?

Who dribbles his food . . . . and makes no reply
When you say in a loud voice . . . . 'I do wish you'd try!'

Who seems not to notice. . . . the things that you do
And forever is losing . . . A sock or shoe?

Who, resisting or not . .. . .. lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding . . . . the long day to fill?

Is that what you're thinking?. . . Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse . . . . . you're not seeing me.

I'll tell you who I am . . . As I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding . . . .. as I eat at your will.

I'm a small child of Ten . . . . with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters . . . . who love one another

Then a young boy of Sixteen . . . ... with wings on his feet
Dreaming that soon now . . . . a lover he'll meet.

A groom soon at Twenty . . . my heart gives a leap
Remembering the vows . . . . that I promised to keep.

At Twenty-Five, now . . . I have young of my own
Who need me to guide them . . . and a secure happy home.

A man of Thirty . . . . My young now grown fast,
Bound to each other . . . with ties that should last.

At Forty, my young sons . . . have grown and are gone,
But my woman's beside me . . . . to see I don't mourn

At Fifty, once more . . . babies play 'round my knee,
Again, we know children . . . my loved one and me.

Dark days are upon me . . my wife is now dead.
I look at the future . . . . I shudder with dread

For my young are all rearing . . . . young of their own
And I think of the years . . . . And the love that I've known.

I'm now an old man . . . ... and nature is cruel
'Tis jest to make old age . . . . look like a fool.

The body, it crumbles . . . . grace and vigor depart
There is now a stone . .. . where I once had a heart.

But inside this old carcass . . . . a young man still dwells,
And now and again . . . . my battered heart swells

As I remember the joys . . .. . and I remember the pain.
And I'm loving and living . . . . life over again

I think of the years, all too few . . . . gone too fast
And accept the stark fact . . . . that nothing can last.

So open your eyes, people . . . . open and see
Not a crabby old man. Look closer . . . . see . . .. . . . .. ME!!

Remember this poem when you next meet an older person who you might brush aside without looking at the young soul within . . . we will all, one day, be there, too!

PLEASE SHARE THIS POEM

The best and most beautiful things of this world can't be seen or touched .. They must be felt by the heart ..

God Bless

Hit Man DVD

Lucy and I watched an excellent presentation some time back on the local PBS station, Hit Man – David Foster & Friends. It was on one of their fund raiser segments and we decided to send in an unrealistic amount of money and in return we’d receive a copy of the program on a DVD. I’d have to admit to being ignorant; never heard of David Foster as the program started. That changed quickly as familiar number one tunes came through our surround sound stereo/television set up. You see, David Foster either wrote or produced all these hit songs for top talent such as Celine Dion and Josh Groban; just look at the jacket cover listing all the songs.

There’re a so many awesome performances on the DVD that it would be tough to say which are the best; however, Michael Buble’ did turn it up a notch up with his version of “Feeling Good”. I got turned onto Michael Buble’ when my daughter Bonnie brought home some of his music a year or so back, “Moondance” comes to mind as perhaps the first time I became aware of his abilities; unfortunately that tune’s not on this particular DVD.

If you want to purchase Hit Man – David Foster & Friends , just click on the link. The CD that comes with it has only about half of what’s on the DVD. This is a free plug, I’m not getting a penny; the album is so good I wanted to share it.

Entertainment or a Con Job

I watched a movie a while back, Dear God , starring Greg Kinnear as a con man who, after getting caught goes to court. The judge gave him the option of either going to jail or getting a real job. The link provided is for the movie trailer clip and includes hype for yet another movie; but you’ll get a good idea of what’s in the movie.

I enjoyed the film as entertainment and never once confused the character with God, the Creator as described in the Bible; hey, it’s a movie. Greg Kinnear has the ability to play a perfect con artist and pulled off a fun hour and a half Saturday matinee kind of flick.

Would you write to Greg Kinnear for spiritual guidance, believing in some deranged sort of brain cramped way that by doing so you were actually inviting God to answer; if you answered yes I’ll watch for you on the next Oprah show. I’ll bet there are some who actually would, sad as that sounds.

Speaking of Oprah, there’s another interesting phenomenon, similar in that folks have put the book on the best seller’s list and which the “O” has put her seal of approval. This isn’t the first time Oprah has jumped on the band wagon for a “feel good about yourself” substitute for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The book is called, Conversations With God , by Neile Donald Walsch. I looked for information on the book, it being somewhat controversial among Christians, and found this statement on Wikipedia:

“In an interview with Larry King, Walsch described the inception of the books as follows: at a low period in his life, Walsch wrote an angry letter to God asking questions about why his life wasn't working. After writing down all of his questions, he heard a voice over his right shoulder say: "Do you really want an answer to all these questions or are you just venting?" Though when he turned around he saw no one there, Walsch felt answers to his questions filling his mind and decided to write them down. The ensuing dialogue became the Conversations with God books. However, in the interview with King, Walsch freely admitted that he couldn’t be sure that it was God speaking and that the books could have been the product of his own subconscious, but he stated that he truly believed it to be the voice of God speaking to him.”

Walsch took that to another level and began fielding questions from an adoring public, answering their most sincere inquiries as if he were God, having the wisdom of the ages. “Those are some mighty big kahones you’re sporting there, my friend”, pardon the crude and yet appropriate observation.

I went over to snopes.com and found some additional information on Conversations With God.

“The author purports to answer various questions asked by kids using the "voice of God". However, the "answers" that he gives are not Bible-based and go against the very infallible word of God. For instance (and I paraphrase), when a girl asks the question "Why am I a lesbian?"

His answer is that she was 'born that way' because of genetics (just as you were born right-handed, with brown eyes, etc.). Then he tells her to go out and "celebrate" her differences.

Another girl poses the question "I am living with my boyfriend. My parents say that I should marry him because I am living in sin. Should I marry him?"

His reply is, "Who are you sinning against? Not me, because you have done nothing wrong."

Another question asks about God's forgiveness of sin. His reply "I do not forgive anyone because there is nothing to forgive. There is no such thing as right or wrong and that is what I have been trying to tell everyone, do not judge people. People have chosen to judge one another and this is wrong, because the rule is "'judge not lest ye be judged."”

Did you catch that? Walsch would have us believe “there is no such thing as right or wrong”. This goes beyond entertainment and falls, interesting how that word “falls” came to mind, into the category of false doctrine; not a simple variance as would occur from one denomination of Christians as they interpret scripture, a flat out lie.

I’d have to say Walsch has been led down “the path” by the Father of Lies, propped up by his own sense of self worth. Satan’s never ending battle has taken another spin, one which targets well meaning folks who really want God’s help. Unfortunately, instead of putting their faith in God, they’ve chosen an author from the New York Times Best Seller’s List.

Yet another warning from the Snopes.com page:

“If you have children or grandchildren, work with children at church, or you have neighborhood children whose parents you know, please take note of the information below and pass it along to others. Schools are distributing this book to children through the Scholastic Book Club.”

Isn’t that just wonderful; kids can check out this book; but the public schools won’t let them read from the Bible. What’s it going to take for folks to wake up and figure out what is going on?

Public Schools and Sex Education

I noticed an article on the Fox News website, “Critics Push to End Abstinence - Only Sex Education”. I should point out the difference between a general course of study which would include basic health issues young people should be made aware of, to include nutrition, the facts of life and cleanliness with the teaching of morality issues, something the public school system has done without for quite some time.

“Cecile Richards, president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of American, depicted the federal abstinence-only program as ‘an utter failure that has wasted more than $1.5 billion” over the past decade. Like other critics, she noted that several major studies — including a federally funded review — have found no evidence that the abstinence-only approach works in deterring teen sex.”

As a tax payer the idea of wasting money on public schools bothers me; end the waste and privatize the education of our young people. Perhaps the spirit of competition by those attempting to lure “customers” might provide a much needed improvement on the end product; surely statistics would prove the current system is a total failure. I don’t see ending public schools as viable, it having become the master rather than the servant of the people, and so the best I can hope for is to minimize some of the wasteful spending.

If we left it up to the public schools to teach morality, which would include sex education, our young people would have a one way ticket to “outer darkness”, a sense of immediate self gratification being the goal with little if any concern for consequences other than socially transmitted diseases. Our society has found cures for many of the consequences “free expression of sexual desires” brings, drugs for herpes and abortion for unwanted pregnancies top the list.

The teaching of eternal consequences for sexual relations cannot be found in public schools due to the establishment of Political Correctness and the separation of church and state. Teachers are not permitted to reference the Bible or any other religious doctrine, relying instead on the state issued text books which, for the most part, have been written by the godless left leaning liberal minded intellectuals who are not dependant on the crutches of religion.

“... The biggest divide between so-called intellectuals and everybody else is on religion. They are indifferent to or very hostile toward religions. It is perfectly clear and has been spelled out in Philip Hamburger’s book Separation of Church and State. There is no possible ground for this wall of separation, but the court moves ahead obliterating religion from the public square.. Religion accounts for civility and self-restraint in our society, which is vanishing as religion has been marginalized and pushed to the sidelines of the debate. The Supreme Court has played a large role in doing this.” (Robert Bork, an interview posted in the Meridian Magazine, The Court and the Cultural War .)

Our society has declared there are no incorrect decisions, there are only choices made which might be diverse, but never incorrect; freedom of expression is guaranteed to all. What a load of horse hockey! If you buy into that line of thought then you may as well throw away the founding documents upon which our Founders scratched down the most noble thoughts ever to be penned in the history of the world. The rights which we enjoy here in America have been attributed to our Creator, not the government which is the result of our desires to be a free people working with the other nations of this corrupted world. The Author of Liberty , has provided us with a refined set of living conditions, all of which have consequences.

“There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated— And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.” (Doctrine and Covenants 130:20,21)

The opposite would also be true; when we chose to ignore the laws set down by God, we reap the consequences in equal proportion. In the case of sexual freedom, the consequences are many; sexually transmitted disease, unwanted pregnancies, loss of self worth to name a few.

Cecile Richards stated, there was “no evidence that the abstinence-only approach works in deterring teen sex.” That is probably a true statement; however, abstinence is a sure fire way to eliminate the consequences of improper sexual relations; completely and without spending a nickel of the taxpayers money. The teaching of God’s laws and expectations are the responsibility of parents and, equally responsible are the young people being offered these lessons. Handing over such responsibilities to the public schools is similar to handing the keys to the bank to Senators and Congressmen; with similar results, I might add.

Funding for programs which fall into the area of responsibility of the family, both parent and child, are a waste of money and violates the trust which has been placed on our government representatives to carefully and wisely distribute from public taxes money.

“The people have delegated to Congress, by the Constitution, the power to do certain things. To do these, it is authorized to collect and pay moneys, and for nothing else. Everything beyond this is usurpation, and a violation of the Constitution.” ( Davey Crockett , Congressman from Tennessee, also well known frontiersman.)

With all the Hope and Change headed our way, may we keep a clear understanding of the nature of our nation to be self governed, which governance requires individuals motivated and brought up in matters of self discipline. It is a matter of record that to achieve the great freedoms afforded us by our Creator much is expected; when we neglect our responsibilities and disobey the laws of God, He is no longer bound to afford us His blessings.

To All My Valued Employees

This letter has been making its way across the Internet; I stole it from Neil Boortz . It’s not a good practice to borrow an entire article from another source; so, I’ll put in a plug for Neil Boortz, that you read the rest of the articles he’s posted, the letter below was only a small part of today’s “Nuze”.

I don't know if anyone actually wrote this letter to their employees or not. I hope they did ... but it doesn't really matter. My guess is that there is no small amount of businessmen and women out there who are harboring exactly these thoughts right now. Enjoy:

To All My Valued Employees,

There have been some rumblings around the office about the future of this company, and more specifically, your job. As you know, the economy has changed for the worse and presents many challenges. However, the good news is this: The economy doesn't pose a threat to your job. What does threaten your job however, is the changing political landscape in this country.

However, let me tell you some little tidbits of fact which might help you decide what is in your best interests.

First, while it is easy to spew rhetoric that casts employers against employees, you have to understand that for every business owner there is a back story. This back story is often neglected and overshadowed by what you see and hear. Sure, you see me park my Mercedes outside. You've seen my big home at last years Christmas party. I'm sure; all these flashy icons of luxury conjure up some idealized thoughts about my life.

However, what you don't see is the back story.

I started this company 28 years ago. At that time, I lived in a 300 square foot studio apartment for 3 years. My entire living apartment was converted into an office so I could put forth 100% effort into building a company, which by the way, would eventually employ you.

My diet consisted of Ramen Pride noodles because every dollar I spent went back into this company. I drove a rusty Toyota Corolla with a defective transmission. I didn't have time to date. Often times, I stayed home on weekends, while my friends went out drinking and partying. In fact, I was married to my business -- hard work, discipline, and sacrifice.

Meanwhile, my friends got jobs. They worked 40 hours a week and made a modest $50K a year and spent every dime they earned. They drove flashy cars and lived in expensive homes and wore fancy designer clothes. Instead of hitting the Nordstrom's for the latest hot fashion item, I was trolling through the Goodwill store extracting any clothing item that didn't look like it was birthed in the 70's.

My friends refinanced their mortgages and lived a life of luxury. I, however, did not. I put my time, my money, and my life into a business with a vision that eventually, some day, I too, will be able to afford these luxuries my friends supposedly had.

So, while you physically arrive at the office at 9am, mentally check in at about noon, and then leave at 5pm, I don't. There is no "off" button for me. When you leave the office, you are done and you have a weekend all to yourself. I unfortunately do not have the freedom. I eat, and breathe this company every minute of the day. There is no rest. There is no weekend. There is no happy hour. Every day this business is attached to my hip like a 1 year old special-needs child. You, of course, only see the fruits of that garden -- the nice house, the Mercedes, the vacations... You never realize the back story and the sacrifices I've made.

Now, the economy is falling apart and I, the guy that made all the right decisions and saved his money, have to bail-out all the people who didn't. The people that overspent their paychecks suddenly feel entitled to the same luxuries that I earned and sacrificed a decade of my life for.

Yes, business ownership has is benefits but the price I've paid is steep and not without wounds.

Unfortunately, the cost of running this business, and employing you, is starting to eclipse the threshold of marginal benefit and let me tell you why:I am being taxed to death and the government thinks I don't pay enough. I have state taxes. Federal taxes. Property taxes. Sales and use taxes. Payroll taxes. Workers compensation taxes. Unemployment taxes. Taxes on taxes. I have to hire a tax man to manage all these taxes and then guess what? I have to pay taxes for employing him. Government mandates and regulations and all the accounting that goes with it, now occupy most of my time. On Oct 15th, I wrote a check to the US Treasury for $288,000 for quarterly taxes. You know what my "stimulus" check was? Zero. Nada. Zilch.

The question I have is this: Who is stimulating the economy? Me, the guy who has provided 14 people good paying jobs and serves over 2,200,000 people per year with a flourishing business? Or, the single mother sitting at home pregnant with her fourth child waiting for her next welfare check? Obviously, government feels the latter is the economic stimulus of this country.

The fact is, if I deducted (Read: Stole) 50% of your paycheck you'd quit and you wouldn't work here. I mean, why should you? That's nuts. Who wants to get rewarded only 50% of their hard work? Well, I agree which is why your job is in jeopardy.

Here is what many of you don't understand ... to stimulate the economy you need to stimulate what runs the economy. Had suddenly government mandated to me that I didn't need to pay taxes, guess what? Instead of depositing that $288,000 into the Washington black-hole, I would have spent it, hired more employees, and generated substantial economic growth. My employees would have enjoyed the wealth of that tax cut in the form of promotions and better salaries. But you can forget it now.

When you have a comatose man on the verge of death, you don't defibrillate and shock his thumb thinking that will bring him back to life, do you? Or, do you defibrillate his heart? Business is at the heart of America and always has been. To restart it, you must stimulate it, not kill it. Suddenly, the power brokers in Washington believe the poor of America are the essential drivers of the American economic engine. Nothing could be further from the truth and this is the type of change you can keep.

So where am I going with all this?

It's quite simple.If any new taxes are levied on me, or my company, my reaction will be swift and simple. I fire you. I fire your co-workers. You can then plead with the government to pay for your mortgage, your SUV, and your child's future. Frankly, it isn't my problem any more.

Then, I will close this company down, move to another country, and retire. You see, I'm done. I'm done with a country that penalizes the productive and gives to the unproductive. My motivation to work and to provide jobs will be destroyed, and with it, will be my citizenship.

If you lose your job, it won't be at the hands of the economy; it will be at the hands of a political hurricane that swept through this country, steamrolled the constitution, and will have changed its landscape forever. If that happens, you can find me sitting on a beach, retired, and with no employees to worry about....

Signed,

Your boss

The Kind of Change We Want?

I picked up the Sunday Houston Chronicle and found a new form of torture , one not mentioned by the liberal left in previous visions of hypocrisy. Socialist loving film maker Oliver Stone is about to finish the ground work for an upcoming documentary on Hugo Chavez.

“U.S. filmmaker Oliver Stone said he sees Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez as an energetic, principled champion of change in Latin American and hopes to capture the spirit of his drive to roll back U.S. influence in an upcoming documentary.”

I’d already turned off the Obama “Pre-Coronation” orgy which was being run on at least four movie channels and every major network simultaneously. Tom Hanks, my favorite anti-Mormon actor, was reminding everyone of the historical significance of the Lincoln legacy. I was surprised to find Abraham Lincoln as Obama’s mentor, thinking Obama and Carl Marx would have more in common; but there’s not a prominent building in Washington with a statue of Marx, at least not yet.

Getting back to the Oliver Stone’s orgasm at having met the greatest man in South America; he went on with has ass-pirations for the American people. I understand the local medical technicians were able to extricate Stone’s nose when Chavez stopped too quickly, a risk that goes with the business; still, that had to hurt.

“This is what I like about Chavez: He’s a big man, he thinks big,” said Stone, who described the Venezuelan president as a “world-changer.”

{…}

“The director said he hopes President-elect Barack Obama takes a different approach toward Latin America and “should meet with Chavez.””

All I could see were the banners during the presidential election invoking “Change” and the promise of “Hope” with Obama as President of the United States. I’d have to say with all sincerity, “I hope this isn’t the kind of Change we’re in for.”

Israel vs the World

I’m tired of the bleeding heart journalists lined up one after another pouring inked pages of condemnation on Israel for acting in defense of their national sovereignty. The latest bilge had to do with Israel’s supposed inhuman destruction of a UN building containing hundreds of Palestinian refugees along with food stores and medical supplies. Hardly a mention was made of Hamas terrorist gun fire from the UN building which caused the Israeli military action against those poor Palestinian refugees.

There would seem to be a major blind spot in the media and members of the UN regarding the documented fact that Hamas has been hiding behind a wall of civilians in order to make them less of a target. Israel has attempted to surgically remove terrorist threats with as little damage and injury to non-combatants, often times against their own interests, simply to satisfy the so called civilized world. Schools, hospitals and mosques falling into the category of “untouchable” targets, more often than not, are used by Hamas as safe havens from which they fire rockets, mortars and small arms fire.

I have a question; how is it the folks running these UN safe havens can be so blind as not to see militant type folks, those carrying rockets, mortar tubes or other weapons into their buildings, can’t seem to notice those weapons; rockets, mortars and small arms when they’re discharged toward Israel, and yet they get all worked up when Israel responds to such threats? How is this possible unless the blind eye is evidence of the double standard so often exhibited by the UN and the terrorist sympathizers?

I went back into the history books and reviewed the “creation” of the State of Israel and about all I can say is that the deck has been stacked against Israel from the get go and yet Israel manages to hold its own in spite of phenomenal odds. The Jewish people were “promised” a land of their own after WWI; it didn’t happen then. After WWII the UN came up with “resolution 181”, which if you’re familiar with other UN resolutions holds as much value as Zimbabwean paper money . Those UN resolutions are a never ending condemnation of a country the Muslim countries and other Jewish intolerant countries do not accept.

A quick glance at the heart of the matter today isn’t much different now than it was sixty years ago. Despite arguments to the contrary posted on the internet or other publications which would have us believe otherwise, the foreign ministry office in Tehran issued this statement, “All official translations of Mr. Ahmadinejad's statement refer to wiping Israel away ”. Ahmadinejad, speaking as President of Iran, and for all the other Muslim nations, has pledged to drive the Jews out of Palestine and has no problem expressing what is on their agenda. Going back to the original issues of 1947:

“The Jewish Agency claimed that the Mandate created a binding legal obligation to establish a sovereign Jewish State. The UNSCOP report to the General Assembly said the conclusion seemed inescapable that the undefined term "National Home" had been used, instead of the term "State", to place a restrictive construction on the scheme from its very inception.”

“The UN never reached a unanimous conclusion. Nothing in the terms of the Mandate precluded the establishment of a Jewish State in all of Palestine. However, a minority felt that nothing in the terms of the post-war treaties and the mandate precluded the establishment in Palestine of a Jewish state denominated along the lines of a 'domestic dependent nation.”

If you looked at the UN’s “planned” partition of the land know as Palestine, a land intended to include a sovereign state for the Jewish people, it looked more like a weather map of thunderstorm activity than the land of milk and honey, a guaranteed war zone, as it has been proven, for six decades.

There have been endless attempts by Israel’s neighbors to drive them out; each time Israel has kicked their butts. I guess the line delivered by Yul Brenner as he played Rameses in the movie, The Ten Commandments, must have missed the mark. Everything Moses prophesied had come to pass, including the destruction of Pharaohs’ army when the sea swallowed them up. Rameses’ wife mocked him, questioning Pharaoh’s inability to beat the Hebrew slaves under the protection of the Hebrew God. Rameses was forced to acknowledge, “Their God really is God.”

In other readings I discovered that Orson Hyde, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, was sent to Palestine to dedicate the land for the return of the Jews. This was accomplished on October 24, 1841 as Orson Hyde, a Mormon, offered a prayer in the Mount of Olives and asked the Lord to, “Let the land become abundantly fruitful when possessed by its rightful heirs; let it again flow with plenty to feed the returning prodigals who come home with a spirit of grace and supplication; upon it let the clouds distil virtue and richness, and let the fields smile with plenty.” (History of the Church 4:456-459, emphasis added)

A friend of mine from church was invited to offer a prayer at the home of a Jewish associate during a festive occasion with the stipulation that he not close that prayer, “In the name of Jesus Christ”, as is our custom to honor our Savior. After having properly thanked our Father in Heaven for the many blessings, to include the bounty of prepared foods for the meal all were about to enjoy, he closed his supplications, “In the name of the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” His Jewish friend looked over with a hint of a smile at having understood what had been said, “You did it anyway, didn’t you?”

When will peace come to the land which has been fought over for all these years? Answer, when the people of the world unite in their understanding that the God of Israel, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob; is the one true God. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Anti Gun Society Cannot Protect Itself

Criminals should fear law abiding citizens, not the other way around.
Government should fear its citizens, not the other way around; but I said that already.

Law abiding citizens in Great Britain would like to teach us a lesson before it’s too late.

Oh, Just Shut Up!

Going through the headlines this morning it was hard not to notice the war on cell phones by the National Safety Council; my local paper , CNN and Fox covered the issue as if the Twin Towers had been attacked again. I think we’d all like to take at least one shot at the Bozo in the next lane, the one with his/her head tilted toward the center console with a phone wedged in his/her ear in such a manner as to preclude any chance of observing traffic.

“A national safety group is advocating a total ban on cell phone use while driving, saying the practice is clearly dangerous and leads to fatalities.”

What they should have said, “Driving without paying attention is dangerous”, and left it at that. They never mentioned; putting on eye make-up, lip stick or plucking nose hairs, they never brought up the dangers of balancing a check book, watching a DVD monitor built into the sun visor, reading the newspaper or, my favorite, propping your favorite novel on the steering wheel.

I was trapped behind a trail of commuters on a major toll road, creeping along at 45mph in a posted 65mph zone, all because some fellow wanted to read War and Peace. Traffic carefully broached around him, his vehicle mostly staying within the lane markers as he was oblivious to the world around him. Once my vehicle got up even with, “Mr. Inconsiderate”, I honked my horn, just to get his attention, and flipped him off. I’m not sure; but I thought I heard a standing ovation from those behind me as they awaited a chance to complete their own salutation.

“ (Janet) Froetscher said the council examined more than 50 scientific studies before reaching its decision. One was a study by the Harvard Center for Risk Analysis that estimates 6 percent of vehicle crashes, causing about 2,600 deaths and 12,000 serious injuries a year, are attributable to cell phone use. Hands-free cell phones are just as risky as hand held phones, she added."

“It’s not just what you're doing with your hands — it’s that your head is in the conversation and so your eyes are not on the road,” Froetscher said.”
I’d like to see the data which backs up the claim, “Hands-free cell phones are just as risky as hand held phones”.

If this is provable, unlikely as it would seem, then the National Safety Council needs to address other issues; talking with passengers, parenting of young children and the worst safety menace of all, listening to the radio, CD player or iPod.

What about short people who give the impression to those behind them, “Hey, there’s nobody driving that vehicle”, shouldn’t they have to sit on a phone book or something? Another pet peeve is the relaxed fellow, you know the one, his free arm laid across the top of the seat back as if he were at home on the sofa watching the Bronco game.

I have one of those ear plug connections to my cell phone so I can keep both hands on the wheel. If a call comes in I can carry on a conversation, not much different than if the person were in the truck with me. When the call becomes involved, a need to write anything, anything at all; I explain that I’m driving and I’ll get back later when I don’t have to worry about having a wreck and making my insurance rates go up.

On the other hand, if I’m on the phone with my folks I tell them, “I’ve got both knees on the steering wheel, just like you taught me.” That gets a rise out of them. I once drove from downtown all the way past the Beltway and the woman in the SUV driving in the next lane was on her cell phone the entire time; how she made it down the road without having a major fender bender remains a mystery, she never once came up for air. I wanted to scream at her, not that it would do any good, “Oh, Just Shut UP!”

I don’t think the Nanny State needs more laws to save us from ourselves, let’s try something novel here in the land of the free and the home of the brave, govern ourselves in such a way as to appear responsible; isn’t that what America is all about?

Smithsonian History Rewrite?

According to an article posted on the Fox News website Senator Bernie Sanders would have the Smithsonian folks change history so as to fit his own particular fancy.

“U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is objecting to wording accompanying a portrait of President George Bush installed at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery in Washington.

Sanders, a strong opponent of the Iraq war, has asked the Smithsonian to rewrite the text that says Bush's two terms in office were "marked by a series of catastrophic event" including the "the attacks on September 11, 2001, that led to wars in Afghanistan and Iraq."”

Also overheard by a reporter who wished to remain nameless; Sen. Sanders wants the Smithsonian to alter the wording next to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s plaque which presumes to link the bombing of Pearl Harbor with America’s entry into WWII. Some discussion was ongoing as to whether or not the Boston Tea Party should be linked with the Revolutionary War.

Doom and Gloom on the Horizon

I found this video over at Mover Mikes and thought it should be shared. So many of the “leadership”, (my, how that definition has changed) in Washington must be reading fair tales of the rich and shameless instead of working on reality. In the long run the future doesn’t look bright for Americans; all the wishing and hoping won’t solve the problems.

Even a Child Can Understand

Here are my notes for a talk which I am supposed to share in church tomorrow morning. After putting my thoughts down I decided it would be an interesting topic to post on my blog, a chance to expand the congregation, if you will, to include folks who wouldn’t normally get a chance to hear this.

I knew a week ago the odds were pretty good that Bishop Duke’s “Plan B” would kick in, that he would be in Ft. Worth to welcome a new grandson into the family while I stand here in his stead and offer my thoughts on Elder Causse’s conference talk, Even A Child Can Understand ; given last October.

I should preface my remarks to include my natural inclination to engage in conversations which escalate toward contention rather than sit back and absorb an opinion which is contrary to my own. That having been said, I find it quite remarkable that I’m a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The only reasonable answer would be that the teachings and doctrine of the Church must be true and that I recognized them as such.

Elder Causse’ explained:

“The Bible has probably been the subject of more interpretations and philosophical debates than any other book. However, a child reading this book for the first time will have at least as much, if not more, chance to understand the doctrine as the majority of those doctors of the scriptures. The Savior’s teachings are adapted to everyone. At eight years of age a child can have sufficient understanding to enter the waters of baptism and make a covenant with God with complete understanding.”

I didn’t join the Church until I was 28, having been baptized when I’d reached a point in my life when I humbled myself and became teachable. The Gospel is simple enough; even one as slow as I can, with the help of the Holy Spirit, even I can understand it.

Last week I read where a fellow from another faith was upset because of comments made in an interview by Glenn Beck, radio talk show host and member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Apparently Glenn’s answers had been posted on Focus on the Family, a Christian web site. His responses did not set well with several others from different denominations within the Christian following and the interview was pulled.

The reason for pulling the interview was later explained by Mary Wilson, of Focus on the Family; Glenn, and members of the Mormon Church couldn’t be Christians because our understanding of the Godhead was different.

“To cite a specific and extremely important example, the Mormon church does not subscribe to the doctrine of the Trinity as defined by the early Councils of Nicaea and Chalcedon . In fact, it’s our understanding that LDS believe in three *beings* as the godhead – three *separate beings* that are physically separate and distinct individuals who together constitute the presiding council of the heavens. But this is most definitely *not* the Christian view. Christians down through the ages have always believed that the Scriptures bear witness to *one* God who exists in *three* persons subsisting within a *single* essence.”

I recorded a statement from the Constitution of the Presbyterian Church which pretty much tosses the idea the idea that Christians have “always believed”, as if there had never been heated discussion as to the meaning of scripture.

“To counter a widening rift within the church, Constantine convened a council in Nicaea in A.D. 325. A creed reflecting the position of Alexander and Athanasius was written and signed by a majority of the bishops. Nevertheless, the two parties continued to battle each other. In A.D. 381, a second council met in Constantinople. It adopted a revised and expanded form of the A.D. 325 creed, now known as the Nicene Creed.”

When I was younger I would be asked to stand and recite the Nicene Creed with the rest of the Presbyterian congregation. I found a reluctance to do so as I couldn’t go along with the Presbyterian explanation of God being invisible, vague and mysterious. I’d accepted the scriptural account in Genesis which explained how man was made in the image of God; not some vaporous Being without form.

My pastor told me that I didn’t need to know the particulars; I should just leave it alone. I suppose that’s why I quit attending church, at least until I was able to find the Mormon missionaries and the answers to questions which had bothered me for years.

Elder Causse’ reminds us the simple truths in the scriptures are there for everyone, even those with limited understanding.

“What would a child understand from reading the story of the baptism of Jesus? Jesus was baptized in the river Jordan by John the Baptist. The Holy Ghost descended upon Him “in a bodily shape like a dove.” A voice was heard: “Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased” (Luke 3:22). The child would have a clear vision of what the Godhead is: three distinct persons in complete unity—God the Father; His Son, Jesus Christ; and the Holy Ghost.”
( a similar account found in Matthew )

I’d been challenged by someone to explain why I, a Mormon, should be considered a Christian . I wrote my thoughts on the council of Nicene quite some time back and posted it on my blog.

The many sects of the Christian world would rather be led by a consensus gained from biblical scholars and politicians rather than concede the possibility that God would rather have His Holy Prophets in charge. It is not up to any committee of Biblical scholars or theologians to determine the truth and meaning of sacred writings or to determine a comprehensive set of beliefs; but the responsibility of each individual placed upon this earth.

When Jesus was on the cross he wasn’t talking to himself when these words were recorded , “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”

The scriptures make it clear, Jesus was openly pleading with his Father, a separate and distinct Being , “And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.”

I suppose the rest of the Christian community is unable, or unwilling, to see the plain and simple truths which have been supplied. Perhaps the more important issue might be, why haven’t they asked to have the missionaries explain the simple truths of the Gospel, why haven’t they joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints?

I believe that Joseph Smith was the Prophet of God chosen to bring about the restoration of the Gospel in the Fullness of Times, to hold all the keys of the Priesthood so that the world would be prepared for the Second Coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ. We have his testimony .

“When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is MyBeloved Son. Hear Him!”

Joseph Smith wrote a letter to a fellow named Wentworth expressing to him the most basic beliefs in such a way that even a child could understand them; we call them the Articles of Faith . I’ve heard many accounts of young children being able to hold a conversation with total strangers while at the same time establishing, in plain language, these simple truths, to such an extent as to amaze learned adults. The Holy Ghost is there to testify of these truths; the child who understands the Gospel need only open his or her mouth.

The Father in Heaven to whom I pray has a body of flesh and bone and I am made in His image. His Only Begotten, Jesus Christ, is my older brother and has provided the means whereby I may return and live in the eternities with Them, this truth is validated by the Holy Ghost; even a child can understand these simple truths. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Do you believe in 2nd chances?

I got this in my email and had to take a snap shot of the pictures because they wouldn’t transfer to file. I didn’t see who to give credit to for the original article, thanks all the same.

Read The Caption on the first photo then look at the second photo.

***

Look at the picture above and you can see where this driver broke through the guardrail, on the right side of the culvert, where the people are standing on the road, pointing. The pick-up was traveling about 75 mph from right to left when it crashed through the guardrail. It flipped end-over-end, bounced off and across the culvert outlet and landed right side up on the left side of the culvert, facing the opposite direction from which the driver was traveling. The 22-year-old driver and his 18-year-old passenger were unhurt except for minor cuts and bruises.Just outside Flagstaff , AZ on U.S. Hwy 100.

***

Now look at the second picture below...

Do you believe in second chances (part 2)

If this guy didn't believe in GOD before, do you suppose he believes now? Share this with your email family and friends. Let this be a reminder to all of us, GOD is in control!


( The second picture was cropped because it would not fit entirely on one snap shot. About half of the canyon is not shown here, not that it alters the conclusion of how a miracle was performed. )

Police Artist at Work?

“So, tell me again about the woman who stole your heart. How tall was she, color of her hair? What about her eyes, round or almond shaped?”

“I’m not sure officer, she was more like a dream, ever changing to match the mood.”

I got this from my sister, more accurately; she pointed me in the direction which would lead me to find this on YouTube. How’d they do that?

Gershwin’s 2nd Piano Prelude

If you’re quick you’ll catch the name of the performer before it vanishes; either way he did a great job with one of my favorite short Gershwin pieces. (My thanks to Robin Williams for his explanation, many years ago, of how the internet works, much the way the human mind does; if you can think of something, whoosh, you can go there at the speed of light.) Hope you enjoy this; there are links to lots more that scroll along, related music you might find worth your time once the performance has played out, take a stroll.

Charlotte

“The secret lies with Charlotte”, or in this case, the secret Is Charlotte. Lucy just finished putting the bowl of Charlotte in the refrigerator having spent several hours preparing the various ingredients in their proper order. The recipe has been handed down through the generations and has become a tradition this time of year.

When my mother had “responsibility” for preparing the Charlotte, we had it on Christmas Day; but Lucy prefers having it on New Year’s Day and, there being no doubt who’s in charge now; we have it on New Year’s Day.

The picture is a file photo from several years ago, not today’s Charlotte. The stemmed cherries won’t be placed on the Charlotte until moments before it is presented for consumption. To all the third world countries, backward ignorant peasants lacking in the most essential nutrients; this is how decadent Americans have to suffer after forcing themselves to down ten pounds of smoked ham, black eyed peas, cabbage and steamed rice.