My Birthday, A Sad Day In American History

This morning, my daily Bible reading led me to Ezekiel 14:

Judgment on Persistent Unfaithfulness
Eze 14:12 The word of the LORD came again to me, saying:
Eze 14:13 “Son of man, when a land sins against Me by persistent unfaithfulness, I will stretch out My hand against it; I will cut off its supply of bread, send famine on it, and cut off man and beast from it.
Eze 14:14 Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness,” says the Lord GOD. (New King James)

I have often heard that a daily Bible reading schedule will take you to passages that someone have an application to your day very often, if not daily. People who do their reading later in the day often report that the passages they came across would have been useful as they met their challenges. I try to read in the morning.

I find this passage in Ezekiel to be more than appropriate for today. I honestly believe that the American Republic is coming to a close, much as the Roman Empire did. We are caught up in luxuries and selfishness. Parents spend no time teaching values to their children; preferring instead to dump them in public schools where someone else is only more than happy to teach their values to your children.

But today we have reached a new low. A woman was starved and thirsted to death based on nothing more than the verbal utterance of her husband. Her family had more than 30 doctors who would have testified, had the so called judge permitted them, that Terry could have been rehabilitated. But he would not permit. He sentenced her to death. Other courts participated in this death sentence.

What a sad day when the default of a society is death.

Good Bye, U.S.A. We’ll miss you. We’ll grow more and more wicked until God puts an end to us.

Deu 30:19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;

Labels: News

Comments on Terry Shiavo

Frankly I’m tired of hearing about this everywhere I turn, but I can’t let it go without comment. In my Bible reading today I came across this:

Pro 31:8 Open your mouth for the speechless,
In the cause of all who are appointed to die (New King James)

Proverbs 31 contains the words the King Lemuel’s mother taught him. The first nine verses are instructions to the king and the remainder of the chapter details the virtuous woman.

Perhaps the two executive Bush brothers, as well as the black clad high priests of jurisprudence need to take a look at this verse. I cannot believe that in a nation of plenty a woman is being starved to death based on nothing more than the words of her husband who has an enormous conflict of interest.

God, in His soveriegnty, has so far not intervened. Though I don’t understand I can accept that. But shame on us for drifting so far from a law based on moral absolutes to a humanistic system of relative values where death is the default, where judges can’t even issue an order to supply FOOD AND WATER, THE BASIC ESSENTIALS OF LIFE TO A WOMAN WHILE THEY SCRATCH THEIR BUTTS OVER A DECISION THAT SHOULDN’T TAKE MUCH BRAINPOWER AT ALL! Shame on us. We, as a nation are guilty, and I have no doubt the judgement is one day coming.

Labels: News

The Producers of “The Office” Need To Get A Job

I don’t know how many people read my blog. I did start it with the intention to post Christian oriented entries, yet it often has not worked out that way. I am on the staff at http://www.tribulationforces.com and post my Bible studies there, as well as a few other discussion forums that I am a member at.

This blog entry will be more of a social commentary. I am hardly skilled at writing movie and TV reviews, so this is my opinion, however unskilled it may be. Last night, after "The Apprentice", which I actually enjoy, NBC introduced a new "comedy" called "The Office". I wish I had a thesaurus because I am having trouble finding a way to describe the show besides "It sucked".

The show is about a regional office of a paper company in Scranton, PA. It is done in a format like a reality show, in that after every thing that happens a character is shown in front of the camera giving a "digital diary" of their thoughts and feelings of what just happened. The main characters are a regional manager who considers himself a friend first, although he is incredibly goofy, a young receptionist, and two quirky men with poorly defined jobs who appear to be comic relief. The one is very anal retentive and the other molds other office members’ office supplies into Jello.

I think one gag actually made me chuckle, but I think it was more in spite of the story than because of it. I wasn’t amused in the least, and I felt cheated out of a half hour of my life that could have been better spent watching "Forensic Files" on Court TV. The previews for this show did absolutely nothing to draw me in, so the only reason I actually watched it is because they sandwiched it between "The Apprentice" and "ER", two shows I actually watch. "ER" I mostly watch because I’ve been watching it for so long and can’t seem to stop, although I realize that I shouldn’t be watching it for several reasons.

I should point out one positive aspect of the show: there was no real sexual appeal that I could discern, although the language and gags I would not recommend for children.

Throughout the whole half hour show, I couldn’t shake the feeling that none of the people involved have EVER worked in an office environment, or if they have it wasn’t blue collar. It almost seemed as if they were making fun of those of us who do anything besides entertainment for a living, and I will not be watching this show again.

Labels: Media

The Essence of a Conservative

The following is from an enewsletter that I get about every day. I am publishing it here, intact, as per the author’s instructions:

MUTH’S TRUTHS
by Chuck Muth
March 13, 2005
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“FORGET THE NEO-CONS, BEWARE THE EX-CONS”
So I’m listening to talk radio recently during the hellish commute to our nation’s capital, and I hear caller after caller start out by saying, “I’m a conservative, except…” The issue was over a proposed new government-mandated smoking ban in bars and restaurants. And the callers – so-called “conservatives” – were all for it.
Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying smoking is good. And I’m not saying smoking isn’t offensive to a lot of people, especially while dining. What I AM saying is that the proper, consistent conservative position is that the decision whether or not to allow smoking in a privately-owned bar or restaurant should be up to the OWNER of the bar or restaurant – not the government.
If the bar or restaurant allows smoking – and you don’t like smoking – don’t go there! There is no “right” for you to eat in someone else’s kitchen. I’m not saying conservatives need to defend smoking. I’m saying true conservatives need to defend individual liberty; to defend the private property owner’s rights over government power and coercion. If government can tell a business owner how to run his business, how long before that same government begins mandating healthy meals in your own home – for the good of the children, of course?
I’ve found over recent years that more and more so-called conservatives find “exceptions” to their limited-government principles on a host of issues. I’ve started calling them “ex-cons” – exception conservatives – and they are far more dangerous to the limited-government movement than the so-called “neo-cons.” See if you haven’t run across an “ex-con” in your political travels recently…
* “I’m a conservative…except when it comes to tobacco. Government shouldn’t raise taxes, except on cigarettes and smokeless tobacco. That’s OK.”
* “I’m a conservative…except for delivering the mail. The government should continue to ban private companies from competing with the post office.”
* “I’m a conservative…except when it comes to advertising by drug companies. The government should force them to cut back on their advertising so that their products would be cheaper.”
* “I’m a conservative…except when it comes to McDonalds and Burger King. The government should stop them from advertising during kids’ shows.”
* “I’m a conservative…except when it comes to snack machines in high schools. Those machines should be banned to protect the children.”
* “I’m a conservative…except when it comes to Howard Stern. The government should ban him from the airwaves…even on satellite radio.”
* “I’m a conservative…except when it comes to Budweiser and Coors commercials during college football and basketball games. The government should ban those ads.”
* “I’m a conservative…except when it comes to Microsoft. The government was right to prosecute them for being so much better at selling their products than their competitors. Bill Gates was being fair.”
* “I’m a conservative…except when it comes to terminally ill patients using marijuana to relieve their pain and suffering. The government should prohibit pot smoking in the privacy of your own home no matter what the circumstances.”
* “I’m a conservative…except when it comes to home-schoolers. Those people should have to report to the government.”
* “I’m a conservative…except when it comes to driving safety. The government is absolutely right to require people to wear motorcycle helmets and seat belts.”
* “I’m a conservative…except when it comes to wages. The government should determine the minimum wage a private employer has to pay to his or her employees.”
* “I’m a conservative…except when it comes to air travel. The government has every right to randomly search people and their luggage without probably cause. It’s for our own good.”
* “I’m a conservative…except when it comes to health care. Health care is a “right” and the government should make sure everyone gets it. For free.”
* “I’m a conservative…except when it comes to retirement. The government should provide everyone with a comfortable retirement.”
* “I’m a conservative…except when it comes to gun rights. It’s OK for the government to require that people get gun licenses and ban the sale of guns at gun shows. Otherwise, a ‘bad’ guy might get one.”
And on and on and on. One “except” after another. THIS is the biggest problem with the conservative movement today. If so-called conservative voters are willing to constantly make exceptions to their own philosophical beliefs, is it any wonder that pandering politicians are so schizophrenic in their voting? If we, as true conservative voters and activists can’t or won’t be consistent in our positions, how can we expect our elected representatives to be any better?
We have met the enemy, and it’s us. Conservatives, heal thyselves.
# # #
Chuck Muth is president of Citizen Outreach, a non-profit public policy advocacy organization in Washington, D.C. The views expressed are his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Citizen Outreach. He may be reached at chuck@citizenoutreach.com.
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Copyright 2005 Chuck Muth. All rights reserved. “Muth’s Truths” may be republished providing the column is copied intact, and full credit is given. Talk show producers interested in scheduling an interview with Mr. Muth should call (410) 391-7408.

Labels: Misc comments

Government/Media Corruption? In New Jersey? Really?

I will start this post by saying, in whiny, non-descript language, that New Jersey sucks in a way that no other state can suck. This has been my home for about 6 years, and I am settled in. However, if God told me I could lead my family out of the state, I would use it as a “teachable moment” for my children that sometimes speeding tickets are worth the price. The people here are “unique”. The southern part of the state where I live is like a suburb of Philadelphia, in other words, those who won’t pay the outrageous city taxes move over here. The northern part is a suburb for New York. I’m sure you can fill in the rest of the paragraph. The Turnpike is a large conduit from one part of the U.S. to another. It’s a transient state full of natives of other places with high taxes, high cost of living, high car insurance, and off the chart corruption.

I’m sure that everybody knows that our former governor, James McGreevy, resigned because he was gay. I’m convinced that it was a ploy to divert media attention away from several scandals that got buried farther back in the newspaper, which is high priced bird cage liner anyway. It’s the same tactic former-President Clinton and his media allies used with the Monica Lewinski thing.

Former Governor McGreevy announced his resignation last year but refused to step down until November 15, so that a Democrat would maintain the office rather than give the people a chance to elect another Democrat anyway. This state was 70% Gore in 2000. I am hardly happy with the Republicans, but I wouldn’t touch Democrat policies. When McGreevy stepped down, the Lt. Governor, Richard Codey, assumed the office. His wife had suffered post-partum depression 20 years ago, and apparently he used a couple of hundred million of taxpayer dollars to fund some post partum depression program or other. Note to all of you who keep calling me to ask for money: STOP SUPPORTING THESE TYPES OF PROGRAMS, LET ME KEEP SOME OF MY MONEY THAT GETS TAKEN IN TAXES, AND MAYBE I’LL HAVE SOME LEFT OVER FOR YOUR PROGRAM! It’s a worthy cause, sure, but why not let people decide? It is not a legitimate function of government to support programs like this. Americans are some of the most generous people on earth, but let us keep our money and decide what WE want to support.

New Jersey 101.5 afternoon show host Craig Carton apparently made fun of the governor’s wife and her post partum depression. Just as government officials can’t resist using money taken from us to fund their own programs; talk show hosts can’t resist making fun of people. The only difference is, that’s what he gets paid to do. He also has a Constitutional mandate to do that. The acting Governor showed up at the radio station and threatened to “take him out”, although he claims the comment was “take him OUTSIDE”. Of course, he was flanked by state troopers. Yet another perfectly legitimate use of a taxpayer funded resource.

The state legislature issued a formal censure of Craig Carton. Yes, we were paying them a salary for that session. Isn’t this a wonderful use of yet more taxpayer dollars and resources when the state capitol and legislators spent time debating and drafting a censure against a talk radio host. Do you like the idea of a military dictatorship, anyone? At least they’ll stop pretending to represent our interests.

Well, now it came out that the whole things was just a plot to get media attention. The acting governor had talked to a reporter from the Newark Star-Ledger, and planned the whole thing. See, not many people knew who Dick Codey was, and now they do. Real smart, eh? Former-President Clinton couldn’t have mastered the press better than that one.

Wake up, New Jersey! I’m not telling you to favor one party over another, but until we start demanding accountability from our elected leaders, they’ll never volunteer it. They know we’re too busy working our jobs and feeding our family and obsessing over the Eagles or whatever. Just take a few minutes now and again, and the internet makes it so easy, and write your elected leaders to let them know what you think and that you will be watching them and you will cast your vote in favor of someone who uses their office wisely. Otherwise they’ll just assume that you vote a straight party ticket and will vote for them again no matter what they do.

Labels: News