Nothing has changed

A friend sent me these words from Jedediah Morse (who was the father of Samuel Morse, the inventor of Morse Code) and I immediately thought: these words are as true today as they were back in 1799. There is no freedom of any kind without God.


"To the kindly influence of Christianity we owe that degree of civil freedom, and political and social happiness which mankind now enjoys. In proportion as the genuine effects of Christianity are diminished in any nation, either through unbelief, or the corruption of it's doctrines, or the neglect of it's institutions; in the same proportion will the people of that nation recede from the blessings of genuine freedom, and approximate the miseries of complete despotism. All efforts to destroy the foundations of our holy religion, ultimately tend to the subversion also of our political freedom and happiness. Whenever the pillars of Christianity shall be overthrown, our present republican forms of govenment, and all the blessings which flow from them, must fall with them."

Jedediah Morse, 1799

Restoring Courage

When Glenn Beck announced his Restoring Courage event, my first reaction was to actually go to Israel since I have never been. But circumstances prevented that or I thought they did. When merchandise supporting the event was available, I ordered the silicone bracelet and the yard signs. I have worn the bracelet most days but I am aware of a reluctance, knowing that it could bring down criticism on me. The yard signs are still in the box. I lacked the courage to put them out, even for the day of the event. I don't even live on a particularly busy street so few would have seen them.

I think of myself as a realist but perhaps I am really a pessimist. I do expect the worse to happen and I struggle to hang on to hope. Glenn Beck's words today at his event in Jerusalem were inspiring. As he spoke, I began to take notes:

• Hold on to what is Right, Good and True
• Fear is the pathway to surrender
• Courage is the first step into the dark
• Rights go arm in arm with responsibility
• Do not fear to call evil by its name

I needed to hear these things and to make them realities in my life. There is that old saying: If it is to be, it's up to me. I believe that to be the path out of the mess Americans have gotten themselves into. We could say that the government has done all these horrible things, spending 40% more money than they have but it is we who have also done that. We lived on our credit cards, our home equity and put nothing into savings for emergencies. This is the same as the government. The only difference is that if we write checks which we have no money to cover, that's called fraud but when the government kites checks it's called deficit spending. Let's speak the truth, it is fraud for the government as well.

At the end of the Restoring Courage event, a young black singer sang the song "Make Them Hear You." I was taken by that song which came from the musical Ragtime. I think perhaps it should be the theme song for Americans who want to return to the times on honor, dignity, goodness, trustworthiness, and all the virtues which made American the exceptional country that it was.

So I say, "Make them hear you!" Make the entrenched politicians and career bureaucrats hear you. Speak out. Be not afraid, speak out; make them hear you loud and clear.

What Holds Us Back?

Lord only knows the economic news is bad but strangely, people seem to be able to ignore it and go on with their lives with no worry. Why? Professors Kahneman and Tversky at the University of Chicago, proved it again and again: the average person avoids risk when seeking gains, but is willing to embrace risk to avoid losses. People would rather hang on to what they have or what they think they have, seemingly avoiding the risk of losing it. But the reality is that they are already going to lose what they have, it is just a question of when. The ones who are willing to accept losses now will minimize their risk of losing all.

Political ads that point out the coming economic earthquake being inexorably brought on by our government spending 27% more than it takes in, are ignored because they alienate the viewer/listener. When confronted with unpleasant news, they prefer to direct their attention elsewhere. Those that do listen sometimes attach a negative view to the one delivering the message. How can the few that speak the truth about the real economic situation, which won't end until the over-spending does, get folks to listen to the truth and motivate them to do something about it?

 These images from the 1930s may be a reminder that times like those that brought such poverty to so many can indeed happen again.

Please do not say to yourself, “Economic issues don't mean anything to me.” Truly, inflation brought on by these economic issues you don't care about will impact your life and it will grow worse and worse if ordinary American citizens like you and I continue to direct their attention to entertainment and other distractions. Pray for wisdom and just do the most important thing first.

Memorial Day

Almighty God, you have given us this good land for our heritage. We humbly ask you that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of your favor and glad to do your will. Bless our land with honorable endeavor, sound learning and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord and confusion, from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way.
Defend our liberties and fashion into one united people the multitude brought here out of many nations and tongues. Endow with the spirit of wisdom those to whom in your name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that through obedience to your law we may show forth your praise among the nations on earth. In time of prosperity fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble do not allow our trust in you to fail. Amen.

Thomas Jefferson

We began with an awareness of our need for God's help in maintaining the goodness of America.


We have been recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven; we have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity; we have grown in numbers, wealth and power as no other nation has ever grown.
But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these things were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own.
Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us.

Abraham Lincoln

Years later we recognized that we were straying from God's ways in spite of all God had given us.

O Merciful God, we cry to Thee for pardon and for mercy. We are "an unbelieving and perverse generation." We are disobedient, disloyal and ungrateful to Thee. We have excluded Thee from our homes, our schools, our business places. We are no longer worthy to be called Thy
children. But Merciful God, spare America! Forgive us! Save us from the scourge which we have
deserved. Teach us Thy Law, and move our wills to serve Thee, henceforth. Merciful God, please
spare America.
Apostles of the Holy Spirit

In these times we have strayed far, far away from our Creator. If we fail to return, God will once and for all turn His back on America. On this Memorial Day when we remember the many who gave their lives to preserve our liberty, pray that we may once again become the people God once blessed in the founding of America.

Israel

More and more I am truly concerned about the Arab/Muslim/Palestinian attitude toward Israel. When they are teaching even their children to hate Jews and to kill them, it can't end well. What Glenn Beck said last night is true. The Palestinians are provoking Israel in every way but when Israel responds, then Palestine will cry to the world, "Aggressor!" This is being created as a Catch-22 situation for Israel. No matter how you feel about Israel, it can't be a good thing that this plan is being put in place. No matter what Israel does, the Arab/Muslim/Palestinians will never cease wanting to wipe them off the face of the earth. And when or if they succeed, then they will come for the United States. Don't think they won't!

With Egypt re-forming the Nazi party openly, what we said would never happen again is being planned. We said we would never forget, but have we? It is sad to think that some of the people who fought in that war or were victims of the Holocaust are still alive but some countries are planning the very same thing again. Don't stick your head in the sand or blindly refuse to see what is happening. It will certainly not stop with Israel! All that is needed for evil to triumph is that good men and women do nothing. Do something!

Take it to the end

I have not seen anywhere a blog or an article of any kind which discusses what the final result of the Obama energy policies would be.

For a couple of years now I have been plagued by a vision of economic disaster, complete collapse. I see the streets empty, no cars, no people. I see the malls empty, stores closed. I see gangs preying on the few people who have money for gas, taking by force whatever they have in their cars. In the more urban areas, gangs will come to houses and apartments and take what they want.  I see travel being near impossible because airfare will be out of sight, travel by car dangerous and perhaps impossible with the high prices of gas and perhaps the general unavailability of gas. The depression of the 1930s will look good by comparison because then the country still had a Christian world-view while today individualism and moral relativism reign.

I am getting freaked out that under Obama, this vision seems to be coming closer and closer. He was duly elected but he has put many bureaucrats in who now control regulations for just about everything. While Congress sleeps, Obama has taken control. Before the end of his term of office, I think that he may have completed the fundamental change, that he desired. The election of 2012 may be a moot point.

He has said that he wants energy prices to rise and Obama has curtailed drilling of our own oil. Unlike what he says he wants, he is actually forcing the United States to be more dependent on foreign oil. The effects of skyrocketing oil/gas prices are far reaching. First, people will not be able to afford to drive. Getting to work will be a challenge as few live near where they work. In many instances, public transportation is not even an option. So people won't buy cars when they can't afford gas, or maybe even afford the car if they can't get to work. Second, what about those who heat their homes with oil or propane or kerosene? Will they be able to afford to heat their homes? During the winter, will people die because they can't heat their homes? Third, everything we buy is delivered by trucks/trains/planes. If they can't get fuel or if they have to pay 3 or 4 times more than they pay now, the cost of goods will necessarily rise to the point where people won't be able to afford them. Oil products are also essential for the manufacturing of many products: waxes, sealants, distillates; basic costs of many items will rise. Food prices will rise not only from increased delivery costs but from manufacturing and petrochemical feedstock price increases. Fourth, infrastructure will slowly crumble as tar, pitch and asphalt are all oil products. How will roads be repaired or new roads be built? 

So now what about electricity? Coal plants providing electricity are being closed and nuclear plants may be the next to go after the earthquake in Japan. Together, coal and nukes provide 65% of our electricity. What will this do to electric rates? Who will be able to afford to pay rates that might be at the least 65% more as we will have 65% less electricity available? This presumes that electricity would still be available to all. I doubt that it will. We are an all electric country from our light bulbs to our refrigeration, to our computers, to our phones, to our small appliances. How long can you live without electricity? Currently electric cars are being pushed as green but who can afford to charge them if rates are astronomical? The government has been forcing us to use fluorescent bulbs instead of incandescent because they use less electricity but the difference is not that great and moot if there is no electricity anyway.

Less people will make Obama's policies more workable for the government. Abortion, euthanasia, death panels via refusing to pay for care are essential parts of making Obama's policies sustainable in the long run. The government just can't afford to pay the expensive Social Security and Medicare; I believe they will do everything they can to reduce costs.

These are only two parts of what is going on under Obama but carried to their logical conclusion, America will indeed be fundamentally transformed. The voters had no idea what Obama was really saying when he talked about change. So how do you like this change and where it may end?

Prayers

Cleaning out some shelves, I came upon some prayers I had written down. The first one must have been copied from someone else but the second one is a rewording of the Our Father we were asked to do on a retreat.

Take, O Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will. Whatever I have or hold, Thou hast given me; I restore it all to Thee and surrender it wholly to be governed by Thy will. Give me only Thy love and Thy grace, and I am rich enough and ask nothing more.

Our true Father in Heaven
Your name is the holiest.
May Your kingdom be established here,
And Your ways followed here on earth as they are joyfully in Heaven.
Take care of our daily needs,
And hold not our sins against us
As we hold sins not against our brothers.
Let us not be lead near tempting,
But be our strength against the evil one,
For all is Yours here,
Your strength, and Your glory beyond the end of time. Amen

Why don't you try creating your own version of the Our Father and share it with me?