Sleeping dogs...

In all fairness, now that BHO had "outed" his views on gay marriage, he has allowed us to wake that dog up. Generally speaking this is always a one way conversation. Because, although the whole gay rights issue is about their right to express themselves openly, it's not about an open discussion. For as soon as the first word is spoken referencing opposition to these views, we hear cries of homophobia, gender bias, bigot etc. In reality this is a shadow effect of the whole liberal agenda. No opposing ideas are seriously entertained. One is either for their perspective, or they are a racist, bigot homophobic.

For this reason, conservatives have the tendency to clam up. By nature they don't want to be perceived as any of those, so rather than chance it, they zip it. Eventually, through silence of the right, the left assumes precious territory simply through lack of opposition.

That, however, is not my nature. As a conservative Christian, I have studied scripture. Because of my studies, I know what "turn the other cheek" really means. And though that sentiment is based in tolerance, it's not entirely about tolerance. Knowing what our final chapter will be, ergo eternity, and knowing that in the end, there really is none, Christians are empowered with the strength to know that acts of "contempt" perpetrated against us in this world are just history in the next.

You see the Jews, being a conquered nation, had to accept the contempt thrown at them by the Roman soldier. These soldiers could slap a Jew, back handed, as a sign of the contempt the Romans had for the conquered Jews. And yet, though conquered, they were protected as citizens from actual violence. So a soldier who violated these "protection laws" was susceptible to prosecution if they violated them. Hence, though humiliating, the slap was more of a slander than an assault. Something they, the Christian, knew they could endure. And, by turning the other cheek, thereby invoking the implied "thank you, may I have another", were actually expressing their contempt for the Romans. "Sticks and stones" if you will.

Keep this in mind though, an assault perpetrated against the Jew in those days was no more acceptable than it is in these days. Hit one open handed, with a closed fist, or wielding a weapon, and retaliation, or retribution was not only acceptable, but expected. A consept forgotten today by Christians, as well as their advesaries. Loving your "brother" doesn't necessarily mean you have to tolerate everything he does to you.

Christian benevolence has always been mistaken for weakness. And yet, it is a civilized religion that has stood dominant in the world for thousands of years. Why? Because eventually those pushing push too far.

So here's me pushing back.

Gays have traditionally been discouraged in the military for...well forever really, because war is serious business. And for the same reason women aren't allowed in subs, it's not a good idea for an open gay atmosphere to be allowed in the men's, or women's ranks. In a sub, in close quarters, and under battlefield circumstances, it can get very close, and very hot. Sailors sometimes have to strip down to bare essentials in combat. It doesn't take much imagination to see the potential for problems of distraction to arise. A logical perspective. Throw into an already tense situation, the sexual aspects of a group, whether men or women, and you have a higher potential for distraction.

Here's another.

I spent my time in the Marine Corps as an investigative liaison with the Navy, back grounding officer selection candidates, as well as training failures on board San Diego's Marine Corps training base. This put me front and center with the (then) policy of gays in the military. This was prior to don't ask don't tell. Gay behavior simply wasn't tolerated on any level. Therefore, push comes to shove, many who realized that boot camp was ...uhum, tough, tried to use that as an escape hatch. It was my job to disprove the claim. That involved investigating the claim to its truthful end. Often it was just that, a claim. A partner had to admit to times and places and all this had to be expressed in front of a three party panel. Parents, pastor, partners, wife etc. Extremely traumatic as can be expected. But my point is the military was adamantly opposed to gays because of the potential distraction it created. Bluntly spoken, I don't want somebody focusing on my fanny instead of the mission at hand. That might sound narrow minded, but I also know the distraction presented to me by a half dressed, and sweating female in a sub would be real. Consider also the lack of privacy that certain battlefield conditions can present.

It has very little to do with the professional abilities of the individual, but more with the absolutes of human nature. Especially when considering that gay men, with respect to physical ability, shouldn't necessarily have any shortcomings. As well as the fact that women are every bit as technically compitent, and physically in some cases, as any man.

It's more the esthetics of the situation. If I'm not gay, I should have the right to not be subject to the innuendo of those that are. Simply stated, my rights as a heterosexual male are just as valid as those of the gay. The large difference....I'm not advertising my sexuality. You don't need to know what I am, and I don't want to know what you are. Simple. Sexuality belongs behind doors, and not in the open where its a matter of public discourse.

The same thing applies with marriage. Marriage has never been recognized as the union, under Gods eyes, of anything other than a man and a woman. God rejects the concept of men and men co joining in any fashion and He makes that clear in scripture. There are some who will try to mince those words around to fit their means, but any true student of the bible knows what God has intended in them. He made them each the way He did so procreation was possible. A true scientist will tell you as well that if you start messing around with those formulas you either get sterile mules or nothing. Some would also go so far as to say that immune diseases and other STD's are a result of God's displeasure or complications created by abnormal intercourse. I don't personally subscribe to the first, and I'm not enough the scientist to speak on the second. I do know this, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Another push back is the thought by gays that just because they have the right to their lifestyle, which I would agree with, they have the right to force this lifestyle on the rest of us, to which I don't agree. I speak specifically of the issue of the gay agenda in schools, government, or public facilities. I, or my child, as a male or female, should be able to attend a restroom in any public institution with a reasonable expectation of privacy. We shouldn't be forced to accept as rule that we have to subject ourselves to either a same sex exposure, a cross sex exposure, or something remote and in between. Lobby for a third bathroom if you must, but don't expect that I want, or have to see your widget if I don't want to.

Lastly, lets be real. Sex has always been a bit of a taboo subject. It's been taboo because its personal. When you go and throw it out into every bodies purview, it takes away the intimacy of it. And that's whats happened. Sex is no longer intimate, so it's ordinary, and uneventful, and tawdry, and sometimes just plain weird. Everybody has the right to do what they want to do, so long as that doesn't infringe on my right to do what I want to do, or not as the case may be. In any case, have the common decency to do it in private. And by all means, keep what you do do to yourself every chance you get.

It is for these reasons that, in my expressed opinion, Barrack Hussein Obama, has demeaned not only himself, but the office of POTUS, in venturing into the realm of either agreeing or disagreeing with the concept of gay marriage. 43 previous presidents have seen the wisdom of leaving that sleeping dog lie. Something better left to the individual to determine. I personally don't believe that POTUS (or the government, by proxy) has any business inside my, or anybody Else's, bedroom.

But Barry, and liberals in general, are all about pushing envelopes. It's that whole "entitled" mentality. Anything goes. The liberal agenda is do whatever the hell you want, whenever you want to, and with as little regard to what anybody else thinks as possible. Because that's their "RIGHT". Well, here's Right back at ya, Do unto others as you would have them do unto you, is what Barry said in his outing disclosure and reasoning behind approving of gay marriage. But the reality of it is, they haven't got the moxxy to deal with that in reciprocity. Otherwise we wouldn't be hearing the "bigoted homophobic" cries because a majority of people in one of 31 states decided enough was enough and shot down the concept of a gay marriage being recognized by the state.

Whether the left wants to believe or accept it or not, the Constitution of the United States, as well as the Constitutions of all 50 individual states, are built on the foundation of Christian faith, and the precepts of God's moral standards. And it is high time that professing Christians stand up and say as well, enough is enough. Do what you want to do, but by all means keep it to yourself. And if you don't have the common decency to keep it to yourself, don't be surprised if you get the newspaper across the nose for doing in public what you should do only in private.

Do Not Tread On Me! And if you do, expect to get that same boot back.

Tolerance tested (exrpt)

My faith teaches that because I am not in a position to accurately judge someone, I must be tolerant of their actions. And, in so much as those actions don't cause me too much grief, that isn't a hard position to take. But tolerance sometimes turns into a sacrifice. And sacrifice is one of those two edged swords that cuts both ways.

Consider this. Scripture says that I should "love my brother, as I love myself". To the world, that sounds pretty difficult to comprehend. But to the Christian, it shouldn't be all that hard to determine the depth of the meaning. This is described in the Greek as, “phileo love”.Brotherly love, based on respect and regard. It's not the tender, emotional love I have for my wife, which is “eros”. Nor is it the unconditional love my God has for me, being “agape”.

Phileo love says we are equals in the sight of God. Reciprocity being key. It says in my heart, and mind, I love him, I respect him, I have regard, or concern for his well being, and because of this, he deserves all I can offer.

This kind of mutual consideration is what builds up our capacity to tolerate one another's differences. Be that opinion, religion or ritual. A difference in the color of skin, direction of faith, of determination of goals, all comes as no great hurdle. If we have the common trust of reciprocity.

It does not, however, say that he has the right to “take” my life, or even cause me harm because I am commanded to be “tolerant”.

And that’s where we are with this whole Jihad business. I’ve studied a good bit of scripture, but I’m no theologian. I have however, spent my fair share of time at the knee of some really well versed individuals who are. One of those men being an apostatized Muslim. I learned a great deal about the Islamic faith from him, and why he chose to convert to Christianity. I can tell you his decision was all about love, or the lack thereof.

You see, the Islamic faith is based on the precept of obedience, rather than love, or grace. If one follows Islam to its obedient end, the only reward is superficial. It has tangible meaning in this life, but has none of the eternal elements that we enjoy.If you are obedient, you get the girl, or several, and the knowledge that Allah really digs you. If you aren’t obedient, it’s off with the head, arm, foot, tongue, whatever. To get to this great place, you have to step on other people in pursuit of this “obedience”. You consider that anybody unlike yourself is an enemy. And not just an enemy to glower at over the fence, but one to conquer.

Christianity, on the other hand, offers an eternal salvation through the Sacrifice of a Loving God. And it is a gift. It’s not something that can be earned, or achieved. It is freely given because God loves us enough to give it. And we love Him because of Who He is, and not the giving of the gift. It says that if people are unlike us, we are to be tolerant of them. We are invoked by scripture to attempt to bring them this “good news”. And we can try as many times as is prudent.

But it is also very well stated, as in Mark 6:11, that “whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them.” Which means, if they ain’t picking up what you are throwing down, knock the dust off your boots, and boogie. Take no remnant of what they have, or own, just leave.

So here’s the deal. After considerable study, of both my “religion”, and that of the Islamic people, I can see no reasonable expectation of any of thisreciprocity that I’ve been speaking of.

I’m not interested in watering down what I believe to be true so that it fits well on the palate of someone who is bent on my ultimate destruction. People can say what they want. The media can downplay the differences between Christianity and Islam all they want. But just like arguing whether a mean dog will bite or not, sticking your hand out to test it is stupid. For that matter, that hand has been stuck out, and bitten, on too many occasions. So many so that I’m left to consider the statement, ”true stupidity is defined by following the same path, on multiple occasions, and expecting it to get you some place different each time.”

Islam is not about religion. It’s about control. It’s about controlling everybody. That’s what jihad is….for the sake of revenge, attacking the caravan and taking everything it owns, and putting everybody on it into subjugation.Period. And just because people want to believe it’s just another form of religion, just doesn’t make it so.

I haven’t figured out why the hell our “liberal leaders” are bent on going to bed with this faction of human society, yet, but I can tell you this, it ain’t gonna be no sleep over. These people want to steal All the covers. And they can do it too……if we let them.

As for me and my house, we will “continue to” serve the Lord…..not Allah, Mohammad, or anybody else who chooses to cow toe to the drivel they dribble…… Barry, you hear me?!

A Force To Be Reckoned With...

It has been said, throughout history, and by some pretty smart people, that "knowledge is power". While I've always believed this to be true, it's never been more true, or timely, than it is today.

I've left 50 behind me, have nothing more than a high school diploma, and a few certificates to prove my mettle, so to speak, but I've ever been the student. I figured it out once a while back, conservatively, I've read somewhere in excess of 4,000 books in my lifetime. I've purchased and read 141 books on my Kindle alone since Christmas '10. A very large number of those being fiction.

One thing I've always understood though, is that the fiction writer has to do extensive background on his subject of choice prior to the book. A lot can be learned about current technologies by reading yesterdays sci-fi. The westerns of my youth gave extensive insight into the plight of the American Indian (a soft spot having strong Cherokee heritage), and political thrillers give great cause for concern with regards to current Geo-political affairs.

Having been a Marine (still am!!!) in my youth, I can relate to military thrillers, novels on clandestine activities, Navy Seals, honor, duty, and war. I've read a bazillion technical, strategic, instructional, mythical, satirical, comical, and biblical books. I've read the Bible, (several times, still fascinated by new revelation each time), as well as a cluster of supporting pieces.

Five years chasing bail bond skips, studying police publications, reading and sitting through court cases gives me a feel for law enforcement tactics, books and procedures.

I've read Sun Tzu's Art of War, books on tactics to be learned from operations in Viet Nam, Afghanistan, Iraq, Germany, Poland, France, Fits, Farts, and Freckles.

I know that "Knowledge Is Power". And I know how we get it. We get it by reading. I know that there is a lot to be said for pictures...."A picture tells a thousand words", and all that. And I believe that to be true, to some extent. But there is a reason that God gave us the capacity to develop language, and the written word. He passes His wisdom to us through that Written Word. It is how we assimilate knowledge into biological cells clustered into our "brain housing group", as my Drill Instructor would say.

We're going to remember a scene, a sound, or a smell, but by and large, we recall these all in words. Try going through a medical, legal, technical course of study with nothing but pictures, video's and lectures. Without being able to read, we simply don't retain.

And that, my friends, has always been the bane of the poor man. If knowledge is power, he is weak without it. And keeping the common man weak has always been the endeavor of the tyrannical. "History shouts out again and again, how nature points out the folly of man, Godzilla!!"....sorry, had to throw that in, the "words" just popped into my head!

Which brings me closer to my point.

In medieval times, the ignorance of the masses lead to famine, sickness, and subjugation. The rich kept the poor barefoot and pregnant, so to speak. As long as the common man was ignorant of his God given equality with all men, proper hygiene, and what was "over the hill", he was easily subjugated.

Tyrants tout that you are common, less than, ignorant, incapable. In other words....OWNED!! And without knowledge, this remains largely true. But then something monumental occurred....the printing press.

Prior to the 14th century, all books were hand scribed. To copy a book took weeks, months, even years. They were vary scarce, certainly expensive, and almost impossible for the common man to acquire. Hence, his ignorance. But with the invention of the printing press, mass quantities of books could be flooded on the market. And then, just like today, more means cheaper. Suddenly, and I mean in the matter of a few weeks from the new publication of a given piece, common man realized that he was equal with the leaders of the world. At least in principle. Aside from the Revelation of Jesus Christ, the realization that God created all man equal was the greatest revelation to the world that has ever been offered.

Men who looked at the skies, nature, the beauty of the world that was presented before their very eyes, and wondered at "What created" it all, now knew! The Spirit of God entered into the heart of man. And not just the rich, and the privileged. The poor sitting before the hearth consuming the effort of their blood, sweat and tears, knew that God loved them as much as any man. This was monumental in the diaspora of the concepts of Freedom, and Equality.

In a few short decades this message was spread throughout the "known world" and revolution had engulfed Europe. From there it was quickly understood that the land just didn't have enough room for "you suppressing me". Innovation in technologies, understanding, and wondering what was "over the horizon" became paramount to shrugging off the tyranny of centuries. The New World came into view.

Our forefathers landed on this soil with thoughts of new beginnings, freedom and the right to pursue their own God given path of life, free from monarchies, tyrannies and prejudice of religion. That blossomed into what we know as these United States Of America. And those freedoms, unfortunately, are again under fire.

Which, again, narrows me down to the specifics of my point.

If knowledge is power, assimilating raw knowledge, with the capacity to sift it on our own is critical. As an educated nation, we have the capacity to hear the truth. We have the strength to bear the burden of that truth, and to judge its effect on our lives. In other words, no man has the right to judge what I am capable of enduring. Censoring, in any form, is unacceptable. If I see it, and I determine I don't want to see any more, I have the capacity to turn my head. I don't need anyone filtering for me.

If you can read what I've written here, and understand it, you have the capacity to comprehend almost anything any politician can throw at you, and that without the assistance of them telling you what it means. We know what it means, and most of that, not good.

I started my Twitter account in late January. Prior to that, and for the last few years, I've had my FaceBook account. Through them, I've been subjected to more "worldly knowledge" in the last few weeks than I've had in the prior 50 years of my life. I've communicated with a broader scope of people, ideals and concerns, and seen more lies exposed, corruption revealed, and understanding of truth gained than could ever have been believed prior to "Social Networking" phenomena (which is by no means a "new" concept).

The Internet, along with the capacity to see "over the hill", that it provides, is in fact this centuries printing press. Through it we have the capacity to understand what our brothers and sisters have concerns over. What fears they have, what strengths they posses, and what collectively we can do about those forces, that once again, attempt to entangle the masses in ignorance.

May God Bless the United States....and open our eyes to the beauty, as well as responsibility of protecting her. May He give us the temerity to continually seek that which is "over the hill", and that which is truth, and then the strength to apply that truth to our lives, in spite of the opposition. And lets offer Him thanks for the tools to achieve these lofty goals.

"Freedom is the sure possession of those alone who have the courage to defend it".

Tolerance Tested

After nearly twenty years in the faith, the term "tolerance" is not new to me, by any means. It's one of the very first precepts of Christianity that is taught. In part, it’s an acceptance of who, or what, a person, or thing is, based on it’s own merit. I have tolerance for someone because we are all created equal, and all have the right to life liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, providing that pursuit causes me no harm or threat. I’m tolerant of something, because it, in and of itself, presents me no harm or threat.

Judgment is another word we learn about in Christianity 101. The dispensation of it, and that rightly so, belongs only to the Creator. The reason being this, when I consider that it is impossible for me to see into the heart of a man, and to know why he does what he does, I understand why judgment isn't mine to dish out.

I've used a parable on many occasions to illustrate my point. Two boys, both dressed in scout uniforms, who might be observed crossing the street in the assistance to an elderly lady. An observer, watching from a distance, might observe, because of their actions, how much they both look like "fine young men", and might assume they were representative of a common history.

But in actuality, it might very well be that one of the young men, having been born and bred of means, and having therefore the benefit of all proper teaching, would consider that what he was doing was actually a bit of a bore to him. A chore, if you will, simply for the benefit of the badge he might win for doing "his duty". His motive ulterior in nature.

It could also be considered of the other young man that he came from a lower standing in life. Maybe, from a dysfunctional family where he was abused, or never taught to respect his elders. So he never had. Consider for this young man, that helping this elderly lady across the street was a challenge, as well as a milepost in his change from selfishness to charity. His intention was benevolent.

Though the action itself might rightly be judged as equal in both instances, the intent is a whole different issue. Thus, why we have neither the right, nor authority to judge. We can't see the heart of a man to know "why" he does what he does. All we can see is the moment.

My faith also teaches that because I am not in a position to accurately judge someone, I must be tolerant of their actions. And, in so much as those actions don't cause me too much grief, that isn't a hard position to take. But tolerance sometimes turns into a sacrifice. And sacrifice is one of those two edged swords that cuts both ways.

Consider this. Scripture says that I should "love my brother, as I love myself". To the world, that sounds pretty difficult to comprehend. But to the Christian, it shouldn't be all that hard to determine the depth of the meaning. This is described in the Greek as, “phileo love”. Brotherly love, based on respect and regard. It's not the tender, emotional love I have for my wife, which is “eros”. Nor is it the unconditional love my God has for me, being “agape”.

Phileo love says we are equals in the sight of God. Reciprocity being key. It says in my heart, and mind, I love him, I respect him, I have regard, or concern for his well being, and because of this, he deserves all I can offer.

This kind of mutual consideration is what builds up our capacity to tolerate one another's differences. Be that opinion, religion or ritual. A difference in the color of skin, direction of faith, of determination of goals, all comes as no great hurdle. If we have the common trust of reciprocity.

It does not, however, say that he has the right to “take” my life, or even cause me harm because I am commanded to be “tolerant”.

And that’s where we are with this whole Jihad business. I’ve studied a good bit of scripture, but I’m no theologian. I have however, spent my fair share of time at the knee of some really well versed individuals who are. One of those men being an apostatized Muslim. I learned a great deal about the Islamic faith from him, and why he chose to convert to Christianity. I can tell you his decision was all about love, or the lack thereof.

You see, the Islamic faith is based on the precept of obedience, rather than love, or grace. If one follows Islam to its obedient end, the only reward is superficial. It has tangible meaning in this life, but has none of the eternal elements that we enjoy. If you are obedient, you get the girl, or several, and the knowledge that Allah really digs you. If you aren’t obedient, it’s off with the head, arm, foot, tongue, whatever. To get to this great place, you have to step on other people in pursuit of this “obedience”. You consider that anybody unlike yourself is an enemy. And not just an enemy to glower at over the fence, but one to conquer.

Christianity, on the other hand, offers an eternal salvation through the Sacrifice of a Loving God. And it is a gift. It’s not something that can be earned, or achieved. It is freely given because God loves us enough to give it. And we love Him because of Who He is, and not the giving of the gift. It says that if people are unlike us, we are to be tolerant of them. We are invoked by scripture to attempt to bring them this “good news”. And we can try as many times as is prudent.

But it is also very well stated, as in Mark 6:11, that “whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them.” Which means, if they ain’t picking up what you are throwing down, knock the dust off your boots, and boogie. Take no remnant of what they have, or own, just leave.

So here’s the deal. After considerable study, of both my “religion”, and that of the Islamic people, I can see no reasonable expectation of any of this reciprocity that I’ve been speaking of.

I’m not interested in watering down what I believe to be true so that it fits well on the palate of someone who is bent on my ultimate destruction. People can say what they want. The media can downplay the differences between Christianity and Islam all they want. But just like arguing whether a mean dog will bite or not, sticking your hand out to test it is stupid. For that matter, that hand has been stuck out, and bitten, on too many occasions. So many so that I’m left to consider the statement, ”true stupidity is defined by following the same path, on multiple occasions, and expecting it to get you some place different each time.”

Islam is not about religion. It’s about control. It’s about controlling everybody. That’s what jihad is….for the sake of revenge, attacking the caravan and taking everything it owns, and putting everybody on it into subjugation. Period. And just because people want to believe it’s just another form of religion, just doesn’t make it so.

I haven’t figured out why the hell our “liberal leaders” are bent on going to bed with this faction of human society, yet, but I can tell you this, it ain’t gonna be no sleep over. These people want to steal All the covers. And they can do it too……if we let them.

As for me and my house, we will “continue to” serve the Lord…..not Allah, Mohammad, or anybody else who chooses to cow toe to the drivel they dribble…… Barry, you hear me?!

An American Soul

The Cherokee Indians claim that the land has a soul. That it lives, and breaths with the pulse of the people that depend upon it for survival. Coming from a strong Cherokee background, and having lived, and worked, in 46 of the continental states, I believe this to be true. I also believe that God, that Great Spirit, created this earth, and all who dwell upon it. Jesus truthed that when He came back, the first time, it was for the purpose of that Holy Spirit to dwell among His people. This I believe as well. It's not a far cry for me to believe therefore, that the soul of this great land dwells in the heart of every person who loves her, calls her home, and cares for her.

And this I do. With great pride, and determination. And it grieves my heart to think that the soul of this land weeps for the lost integrity of her children.


An integrity that was birthed in the hearts of men determined to produce a nation where all men would have the chance for freedom, prosperity, and the pursuit of happiness. I firmly believe that although the means sometimes may have appeared questionable, the intention of these men to develop a free nation, remained pure.

It is sad to think this "pursuit of happiness" has been bastardized into a "pursuit of entitlements". It is reprehensible that laziness, and apathy on all our parts, has lead us to hire thugs, cutthroats, shysters, and downright liars to handle our representative and leadership affairs. And yet, it isn't my purpose here to complain about what we have let be done. For complaint, without input of a solution, is nothing but that...complaining. It is ineffective, serves no practical purpose, and in effect wastes time, and resources, that could be better spent elsewhere, correcting the original problem.

So here's the deal. Up until 9/11, I couldn't give a rat's ass who was POTUS. The closest I came to paying attention was in the early eighties when Reagan was my commander in chief while I was in the Marine Corps. I can count the number of times on one hand that I have voted for a president. I did my very best to "not pay attention" to anything political. "What", I would say, was the point? Nobody "up there" gave a rat's ass about me, mine or how it all affected me, why shouldn't I reciprocate?

But when Clinton took it under the table, I started paying attention. I mean, really? So I voted for Bush. And when the planes flew, I was damned glad I did. I don't think we've had a president since Reagan who would have had the moxy to do what he did. Unfortunately, he allowed some left wing armchair bandits to sway his resolve, and subsequently stopped short of the ultimate goal. Which should have been to completely destroy the enemies capability of waging war.

And now...I said, and now! We've got the current administration advocating a complete showing of the throat. They want us to give it up for head gear, prayer rugs, mosques on Broadway, five dollar gas, Christ out of our lives, kids with full body pat down searches, naked body xrays of old ladies and pin-up girls, taxes up the wazoo, hippies camping out in the parks, screaming "gimme, gimme!", foreign aide, foreign oil, foreign debt, and garden Nazis, of all things. Just what Is an American to do?

I'll tell you....hunker down and do what we always do. Fill a pipe, pack a breach, and wait till they're close enough to see the whites of their eyes. Why "wait"? First, because sometimes it's not always easy to identify the enemy. Although, in this case, that's becoming more clear as the days go by. Second, we can't afford to waste resources with "misses". Make every shot count. Lastly, when they drop, you want to be close enough to make sure its permanent. Like I said, we've been here .

But, here's the thing, "It isn't enough to just think about what must be done, we must "do" it. Be prepared though, because while the first may require only some effort, the second may cost you your very life." We've been there before as well.

Getting back to some solutions though, instead of just complaining.

Prior to this recent "paying attention" I mentioned above, I would have taken at face value just about anything anybody in the media said. I mean, really, we are brought up to believe those that lead, tell the truth. In my naivety, what the media presented as leaderships words, unless I had some sure fire way of personally refuting, I believed.

Unfortunately, like the tyrannical regimes of days gone past, that was self serving propaganda dealt out by monarchies, and dictatorships, for the ignorant masses. Masses who believed that just because some stuffed shirt living up on the mountain told them that they were a lesser person, it was true. Simply because that person "had", and they "had not".

But reformation does occur from time to time.

I recently read an article that compared the social networking tactics of Luther, a fifteenth century monks' distribution of his '95 thesis, to the effectiveness of our current day social networking. Luther, some of his printing press buddies, along with a hand full of like minded merchants, was able to distribute his thesis across Germany, and then all of Europe, in just a matter of weeks. This distribution of the gospel message to the "ignorant" masses, in a pamphlet form, enabled the message of equality in the Creators eyes, to be clearly preached to those that, previously, had been convinced by their "masters", that they were less than equal.

That knowledge, if you will follow the thread, lead to insurrection, revolution, reform, and eventually a Diaspora of like minded people, fed up with oppression, that fled the European continent, braved oceans, wilds, and weather, to populate a new land, fresh for equality. And there, they started this great nation, based on the principles of that Gospel.

This time, we're not leaving. We're gonna stay right here, hunker down, wait till we see the whites of their eyes, and stand our ground.

But first, we gotta get it together, together. And that's where the social networking comes back into play. Yesterday we were listening to a media that was telling us only what those that live on the hill wanted us to hear. And we were the dumber for it. Today, we're talking to each other on a minute by minute basis. We're hearing things from hometown Americana that we've long been lied to about. We're hearing back channel whispers about why things are happening, and when. And these things are bringing to mind cold hard facts about how we are being screwed by those charged with leading us through the quagmire of world politics. Not only are we being sold out for our leaderships personal gain, the heritage we've fought to protect for the last two hundred plus years is being thrown under the bus.

I don't want to be put on record for advocating blood in the streets...yet. For the wisdom of the ages says "give peace a chance", but when the benevolence of a caring people is mistaken for weakness, a boot in the ass is sometimes the only solution. As they say, "there's more ways than one to skin a cat".

An armed and educated populace is a dangerous one, for a government bent on tyranny. We've never been invaded from outside, and for the same reason. But through the insidious process of "boiling a frog", we are being lulled to sleep through luke warm theology, piss warm lies, and the mercury light warmth of socialist security. We are, in fact being slowly eroded from within by the very ones paid to protect us.

I'm thinking that's about to end...for the soul of the American land, the people that inhabit it, and the heart that beats within them both, in life, and in spirit, cries out for justice. A justice long locked out of it's courts, classrooms, and churches. A justice that just might be heralded in, not by trumpets, but by tweets..........

For Kings and Peace...

"I urge, them, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people-for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness." (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

This was the point verse used in a message I heard at church this weekend. The fact that I was there to hear it in the first place is great reason for thanks. Greater thanks is given because it was a message delivered by a youth pastor to my son, and his peers, the generation that will be tasked with fortifying the moral foundation of this nation.

As followers of a conservative faith, they are under attack. Physically, emotionally, and spiritually. They are the offspring of a generation that was brought up to believe that the freedom of religion, amongst other freedoms, was an inalienable right promised not only by our forefathers, but purchased with the blood of countless fighters for that freedom.Unfortunately, like the premise that the accused are innocent until proven guilty, that belief just isn't true in the reality of the world we live in. Because just as soon as those children step out of their home, and onto the property of our public schools, they are under precise attack to undermine any belief in God, or His ability to interact in our lives.

Not only has the Christian faith been extricated from our school system curriculum entirely, but a sustained counterattack against it's very existence is launched from the day a child enters the system. For not only has any semblance of the bibles teachings been removed, it's anti-thesis, evolution and atheism, are pounded into their young minds at every opportunity. The moral boundaries that offered stability in our lives a generation ago are rendered soft, and in-effective by 'metro-sexual concepts', big bang theories, and relativity. University students who lived a life of conservatism for the first eighteen years or so, are suddenly subject to concerted, vile attacks on the belief system they were taught to cherish.They are taught that everything should be luke warm. Racial, sexual, and spiritual integrity are disdained. Everybody looks the same, male or female. Everybody thinks the same, educated or not. Everybody makes the same wage, whether they work or not. And lastly, that everybody believes the same, that we are nothing more than random happenstance, destined to live a mediocre life of sameness with everybody else, and to die and be forgotten forever.

But here's the rub, the irony of it all. Christians are called to pray for "everybody"! Remember, "prayers ...be made for all people." In particular "kings and all those in authority". And why? So "that we may all live peaceful and quiet lives."

The charge here is to pray for those who have authority over us so that, hopefully, they make sound decisions about the rules we are obligated to live by. That the laws that govern us are made with equality for all in mind. That the safeties that are imposed on us don't restrict us to the point of being counterproductive, and causing us harm.

I just can't grasp the logic of a world view that counters the effectiveness of a concept, that if left alone, would only strengthen everybody involved, whether they believe in God or not. Because the reality of it all is, if the true believing Christian where left alone to practice their belief that if they pray for those they love, for those they believe to be lost, and for those that have 'authority' over them, they have the right to exist peacefully with everyone. Content to live out their lives, along side of those that believe, or disbelieve, without prejudice or rancor. They would therefore be more prosperous, because the more effective in application of skills, the more effective in their personal, and professional lives through less time and energy spent fighting for their rights, the more benefit they are to everyone in general.

That isn't to say that Christians are perfect. Far from it. But by, and large, while all have come from the position of a fallen nature, most are striving for some semblance of the perfection they ultimately hope to achieve. Because of this, they know they exist in a 'state of grace', where to forgive, and live peaceably, is a divine attribute.

So why is it that those who don't believe in an all knowing, all caring, benevolent and peaceful God, are so bent on restricting the teaching, and belief structure, of those that do?

How is their way of life threatened by such a passive view?

Well, here's a thought.

One of the reasons I was so thankful for being able to attend church this last weekend was because, over the last year, those opportunities have been few, and far between. A challenging year, career wise, had left me wanting in the free time area. A recent promotion, however, lead to weekends off, and a Monday through Friday routine with some normal working hours, rather than the spastic, late shift routine I haven't enjoyed for the last year.

Through cause and effect, another thankful benefit was this last Saturday off. One I spent cruising the North Carolina foothills on my motorcycle. Where I passed a small country church that boasted a sign out front that read, "A questionable attitude equals a questionable motive."

Better said, "a bad attitude just about guarantees a bad motive."

So if my faith says that all I want to do is love on someone, even if they don't love on me back, why do they feel so threatened, if they in fact possess a peaceful intent?

That string of scriptures I quoted earlier goes on to say..."This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2:3-4)

Maybe it's a 'knowledge of the truth' they want so vehemently to keep us from. Remember from your history, it wasn't until the invention of the printing press, and mass publication of the bible, that man realized that all men were created equal. Take that truth away from us, and we're back to a two class system. The 'haves...and the have not's'.

Given that, here's another ironic rub for you...

As Christians we know what true freedom really is. So, while we can certainly be taxed to poverty, restricted under law to ineffectiveness, and forced to endure the effects of a bad attitude, with bad motive, on our lives, we can't be forced to give up on our God who says "The Truth will always set you free". Because ultimately we know that while we might have to endure sorrows for a time, eventually we win.

Here's the last irony I'll throw at the disbeliever who tries to force his will on me. It is this faith that ultimately the Son will shine that gives me the confidence to be able to "turn the other cheek" to the open handed slap of contempt a disbelieving world view has for my faith. And yet, close that hand into a fist, or wrap it around a weapon, meant to do me or mine harm, and you'll see the side of that same confidence that has kept the Christian faith alive and well for over two thousand years.

For kings and peace we pray. For God, Family and Country we fight.

I am proud to witness some of our young battling, against almost overwhelming odds, to do the same. Of that number girding up, my youngest son. You Rock!

"But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve,.... But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord". (Joshua 24:15)

A Bears Tale.....

The roll model of my life in my earlier years, my step-father, was a hard man not known for his tender kindness. I learned a lot from him, in spite of his obvious 'dislike' for me. A venture into earlier pieces would explain that a bit, here I'll move forward. Suffice it to say, he was a large part of my 'tactical defense training' as a young man. It wasn't so much that he taught me to fight, rather, he taught me to duck. I learned to bob and weave, to avoid conflicts I saw coming. I learned to keep my eyes open, and my head low.

After 'becoming a man', and being shown the door, I rekindled my relationship with my born father. From a bit different perspective, he taught me some additional 'tactical offensive training'. As a martial artist, his take on engaging the enemy was the frontal assault. In real life there is no such thing as a 'fair fight'. As soon as the engagement is eminent, you attack. He once told me, "son, don't wait for someone to bloody your nose before your engage. Because from there you fight from a point of disadvantage. You can't see clearly, you are in pain, so therefore you can't think clearly, and lastly, your opponent enjoys all these as advantages of the first punch. When you see it's bound to come, strike. And when you do strike, strike to disable."

As a Marine, I learned concepts like peace through superior fire-power, advance and attack, adapt, improvise, and overcome, and shoot to kill. Granted, not a passive perspective on life, but then again, not everyone is cut out to be a warrior.

In my humble opinion, people fall into three basic categories. Those that produce (nurturers), those that defend (warriors), and those that depend (as benefactors of the first two).

Let me take some shots at these three sects of life. The first, those that nurture.

These are really the backbone of a society. They are the ones that tend the fields, build the huts, teach the children, and see to the sick or the wounded of body or soul. In general, they see to the day to day needs of the society's survival from a provider perspective. All those aspects of life that make it possible to subsist.

The second of those three groups, the warriors, are a necessary evil, if one wanted to put it that way. 'Thou shalt not kill', of the famed Ten Commandments, for all it being a basic law of God for His people, more often than not gets occluded by the nasty side of human nature, those that want to break it. As long as there are 'fields white with harvest', there are going to be low-life's that want to take them from us. We need the barn, and we need to protect it. This group is going to be comprised of all those involved with protection. Those that build the quivers, and arrows, and those that fire them. Those that tend the steeds and chariots, and those that bind the beasts. Necessity being the mother of all invention, if we didn't have bad-guys, we wouldn't need police.

These first two groups are easy enough to understand and account for. It's the third group that tends to blur if focused on too hard. Those that depend on others for survival.

A baby depends. In it's innocence, it has no concept, beyond the basic instinct of crying, on how to provide for or protect itself. If it's hungry, it cries, someone that nurtures will feed it. If it's hurt, again it cries, and a warrior will protect it. To take nothing away from motherhood, this often comes in the form of the same person. I've never met a mother who wouldn't feed her child with one arm, and defend it with the other.

Both the old, or the infirm, fall within this group as well. More often than not, they will have come from one of the former two groups, and thereby done their share of providing, or protecting to have paved the way for their dependence.

Our old need to be fed, and they need to be protected. The wisdom they have acquired over a lifetime must be tapped, if we as a society are to grow. We must constantly be learning from the generations behind to better contemplate the future ahead. Whether they were former nurturers, or warriors, their usefulness continues, and we must provide. A society that casts off it's old are a society of fools doomed to fall.

The infirm are our responsibility as well. They may be wounded warriors fallen in the service of protecting. Or, they may be the victims of sickness. If we expect forthcoming generations of warriors, we must have a history of caring for those who fall in battle. If we expect to be taken care of should we succumb to illness, we must reciprocate by tending those who have.

An unfortunate sub-group of this last, those that depend unnecessarily, are the dregs of society.

I don't have a problem with taking care of those who can't care for themselves. If ever I reach that point in my life, I would hope that someone would 'take care' of me. (Personally, I've made a pact with my brother should that event occur. We won't go into any great detail there.) Unfortunately, there is a vast margin between those that 'can't', and those that 'won't'. We have absolutely no control over the lot in life we are born to. But, given a sound mind and body, if we stay, should there be a way out, we become one who 'won't'. These are the people who take comfort in knowing that someone will always take care of them, even if they are fully capable of taking care of themselves. They make no effort to change the circumstances they dwell in, and they make no effort to contribute to the state that provides for them.

Another class of people, those who also dwell within this margin of those who 'won't', are those that propose that they exist outside of the requirements of providing for themselves. Those that adopt a position of privilege. Those that feel that because of something they've done, are doing, or intend to do, this puts them in a place where they don't 'have' to take care of themselves.

Nurturers and warriors can govern, for a reasonable period of time, then go back to nurturing, or protecting. Our constitution provided for leadership from 'within the people'. Farmers, defenders, craftsmen, clergy, doctors, merchants and mothers who take a break from those all so necessary aspects of life, serve to lead, and then go back to being productive.

Then there are those who don't. Those that like a bad rash, just won't go away. Like the rash, they've found a nice warm crack that rubs them just right, and be damned if they're gonna leave.

These are the real criminals of society. For a person who takes without giving, in whatever capacity, is nothing more than a thief.

Our original government officials served with little or no pay, by design. To lead was an obligation if the traits were present. It was an honor to serve for the bottom dollar, as our military still does, not for the dollar itself, but rather the honor. To make a wage that is enough to survive for the duration is acceptable. But to use a position of power to secure a profit outside of a reasonable pay is despicable, as well as criminal. And not to overlook the issue, those nurturers and warriors, who subvert any position of prominence within that field to profit unreasonably, and at the expense of someone else's pain, fall into that last despicable category as well.

As a civilized nation we should've been around long enough to have learned to pick our shots, if not our battles. If we're smart, we use the information of why we've missed to influence our choice of future targets. If not, well....we don't, and the generations to come end up wasting a lot of lead. That cycle keeps repeating itself long enough and one has to question the under lying purpose of why we're hunting in the first place.

Speaking of hunting. There's this hunter in the woods with a rifle. He sees a big ugly bear, takes aim, shoots, and misses. The bear walks over and says "Mister, I don't take kindly to being hunted. I reckon I'm gonna have to teach you a lesson". So he cuffs the guy, roughs him up and has his way with him.

A little later the hunter is still prowling around, sees the bear again and takes another shot. He misses again. The bear comes up and says "Damn boy, you sure are a slow learner. Guess we'll just have to repeat the lesson." And he abuses him a second time.

Well, sure enough, an hour later the hunter sees the bear again. And he tries to shoot him again, and he misses again. This time the bear comes over looking especially grave and sober. And he says, "Mister, I want you to be honest with me. This isn't really about hunting, is it?"

We Americans, as a republic operated by a majority, are like the hunter. Oh, we squawk and go about taking potshots at the unrighteous takers that are out there bleeding us dry as a society. But in the end, there must be more that like it this way than don't. If not, we'd hit more than we missed, and it really would be about the hunt.