A Peculiar People

Titus 2:13-14 says, "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." I'm going to focus on the word, "peculiar." Webster's dictionary defines peculiar in this manner: Of only one person, thing; exclusive. Special, odd, or strange. Jesus gave himself on Calvary's cross to save a lost sinner and purify him and make him peculiar in this world. One thing we need to understand is what does Jesus mean when he says peculiar? He's not referring to peculiar in the sense of religious groups or zealots such as the modern day Charismatic movement or cultish leaders like Jim Jones or David Koresh. He's not making reference to peculiarity that's not scriptural. In this religious world in which we live, we have all kinds of strange, odd, and peculiar people. Some teach you shouldn't pledge allegiance to the flag or teach it's wrong to wear cowboy boots, or receive a blood transfusion. Those kinds of oddities aren't supported by the Bible. Christ didn't give himself to make oddballs with no purpose behind it. Jesus wants Christians to be peculiar in the sense that they're uniquely and distinctly different from the world in regards to morals, personal attire, personal conduct, attitude about the things of the world, etc. There's a purpose for Jesus giving himself to redeem lost man and in the process purifying man to make him peculiar. This world is at enmity with God so therefore those that are redeemed, purified, and made peculiar will be despised by the world.

Romans 12:1-2 says, "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transfored by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." God has a specific purpose of purifying unto himself a peculiar people. It's not for the purpose of being odd or strange in and of itself. God doesn't want Christians to be different for the sake of it. There's a specific purpose. God wants us to be conformed to the image of Christ. Why is that? In Mark 16:15 Jesus gave a command which is called the Great Commission. We're to go out into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. We have a responsibility to reach those that don't know God. In order to reach people, we must be separated from this world and consecrated unto God. We are to be salt and light to this world. In order to accomplish this task we must be saved and we must be filled with the Holy Spirit to have a dramatic impact on this world. When you read the book of Acts and read about how God used the apostles to reach the lost, you see a group of peculiar people. Those in Antioch gave them the name "Christians" because they were Christlike in their character and followers of Christ. If those Apostles weren't peculiar, they wouldn't have much of an impact upon the communities in which they journeyed.

Today's contemporary churches have lost sight of the importance of Christians being a peculiar people. Today we want to fit in and mesh with the world. We have people today that profess Christ but you can't distinguish those that claim to be Christian from those that are of the world.

What are some of the characteristics of a peculiar people that Titus is talking about? First of all when we're speaking of peculiar as Titus mentions, we're talking about people that have been sanctified and set apart to serve the Lord. They're a special people unto God. They are considered strange to the world because the world's system is in diametrical opposition to God's ways. The peculiar people that you read about in Titus are saved first of all. They've been saved, set free, and redeemed by the blood of the lamb. Also, these peculiar people are purified. Titus says that Jesus gave himself to redeem mankind from sin and to purify himself a people. Who has a will and a purpose for those that he purifies. He desires for his people to be conformed to the image of Christ. A peculiar person can't be conformed to the image of Christ unless they've been washed by the blood of the Lamb and purified.

Another characteristic of peculiar people in Titus is that they are separated from the world. However, they aren't separated for the sake of separation. They aren't separated so they can boast about how they're different from the world. No, no. They're separated from this world and its system so they can be set apart to serve God. God has a purpose for separation. He wants his people to be separated so they can be set apart, sanctified, and fit for the master's service. God's people are to be salt and light to this lost and dying world. Their lives are to be testimonies to God's grace. How can God's people be a living representative of Jesus if they walk, talk, and smell like the world? It's impossible! God's people can't be a witness nor win anyone to God unless they are separated. A peculiar person is one that's separated. God wants his people to not be identified with this world's crooked system. I John says that we aren't to love the world, neither the things in the world. I John says that anyone that loves the world the love of the Father isn't in him. You can't be full of God and full of the world simultaneously. Jesus says you can't serve two masters. However, that's what you find in today's contemporary churches. Many pastors, teachers, and church members are straddling the fence to fit in this society. However, peculiar people that are of God don't fit in this world's sytem. They are considered strange, oddballs, and part of the problem. That's the mentality this world has when it comes to a peculiar people.

Lastly peculiar people are zealous of good works. That's what the latter part of verse of verse 14 in Titus 2 says. These people love good works. They want to serve God. James talks about faith and works and it says that faith without works is dead. God has a work for his people to accomplish. Peculiar people in the Bible love to serve God. They have a desire to perform good works. They enjoy serving Jesus. They follow God's commandments. Peculiar people dedicate themselves to the church and the ministries that are involved. They are consumed with zeal for God's house. Their whole life revolves around serving and worshipping God.

God's people who are peculiar are considered an oddity to the world. They are a special people unto God that's been bought and redeemed by the blood of the lamb. They are set apart to serve the Lord. The world believes peculiar people are misfits and strange. Actually God's peculiar people are misfits in this world. The world is not the home of a peculiar Christian. A child of God is just passing through trying to make a mark in this life. Their real home is in Heaven. God wants his people to make a difference in this world in reaching those without God.

YouTube - o holy night - gaither homecoming

YouTube - o holy night - gaither homecoming
Verse 1

O holy night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of Our dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining;
'Til he appeared And the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope The weary world rejoices;
For yonder breaks A new and glorious morn

Fall on your knees! O hear the angels' voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born;
O night divine, O night, O night Divine.

Verse 2

Led by the light of Faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
So led by light A star sweetly gleaming,
Here come the wise men From Orient land.
The King of Kings Lay thus in lowly manger;
In all our trials Born to be our friend.

He knows our need, To our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before Him lowly bend!
Behold your King, Behold your King!

Verse 3

Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love And His gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break For the slave is our brother,
And in His name All oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us Praise His holy name.

Christ is the Lord! O praise his Name forever,
His power and glory Evermore proclaim.
His power and glory Evermore proclaim.

Tis The Season

Today is the official day when Christmas shopping begins. It always officially starts the day after Thanksgiving. Numerous people will leave their homes and start their shopping at around 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning so they can make it in time to purchase the first-time Christmas bargains. Christmas shopping has become nothing but a rat race in this day. People will scramble to make it in time at the local retail stores such as Wal-Mart, Target, K-Mart, Kohl's, and the list continues. People will hurriedly race to become the first in line to purchase those items that are on sale. You will view a display of rude behavior taking place while people are shopping. I've heard news stories where people will shove or even grab an item out of someone's hand while shopping. It's horrible! We've totally lost sight what the meaning of Christmas is all about. We have from now until Christmas Eve to shop and some people will act like a huge fool on the first day of Christmas shopping. We're all concerned about what we're going to receive for Christmas.

I look forward to this time of year. There's something very special about Christmas. I love all the Christmas decorations, the tree, the reindeer, and display of lights inside and outside of homes. I've seen some homes that are beautifully adorned with Christmas lights. I know Christmas is also a very sad time of year for many people who have lost loved ones. Many people will reminisce on some of the memories they've had with loved ones that have departed from this life. There are some families that are struggling financially. There are those that have lost jobs and are facing foreclosure on their homes. Some parents feel very guilty because they've not able to purchase Christmas gifts for their children. However, I'm thankful that the true meaning of Christmas isn't about giving and receiving gifts. I'm thankful for that but we shouldn't allow our Christmas to be wrapped around giving and receiving gifts. Christmas is about Jesus. It's about the Savior was born on this earth 2000 years ago in a lonely manger. It's about a Savior who came on earth to die for the sins for fallen man. That's what Christmas is all about. When we lose sight of what Christmas is all about, then Christmas loses it's meaning. All the other traditions that we've attached to Christmas are secondary. But Jesus is the reason for the season.

During this time of year, there's an increase in charitable giving. There are many programs such as "Christmas Wish" and "Goodfellows" (in Owensboro) that raise funds to purchase gifts such as toys, clothing, and needed items for those children that are needy this time of year. Every year right after Thanksgiving, Goodfellows takes numerous donations for needy children so they can throw a Christmas party every year for needy children. Goodfellows is a program that's sponsored by Owensboro's Messenger-Inquirer. Lawrence Hager Sr., the publisher of Messenger-Inquirer years ago, started the Goodfellows Club in 1916. Times were rough that year and he was very concerned about local children not receiving food, clothing, or other necessary items for Christmas. As a result, he started the Goodfellows Club and it's been going strong ever since. Many organizations and individual people are very charitable this time of year. They try to help those families that are needy and unfortunate.

There are also many churches and organizations that will go Christmas caroling out in the hospitals and nursing homes. This is also the time of year for Christmas parades in our local communities. Many churches will host plays and cantatas commemorating the birth of Jesus. In Owensboro, Third Baptist Churches hosts a classical entitled, "The Messiah". It was written by George Friedrich Handel in 1741. If the cantata is played in its entirety, it would last for three hours. It features classical music commemorating the life of Jesus on earth. It's a great classic. "The Messiah" has been a Christmas tradition in Owensboro since 1941. The first production took place on December 7, 1941, the day Pearl Harbor was bombed by the Japanese. Ever since then, the cantata has been hosted or or around December 7th every year. It's featured on the first Sunday in December.

Christmas will arrive in 28 days. From now until Christmas I will be writing a number of posts about the Christmas season. I will be writing posts about Christmas history and we will be learning the origins of the Christmas holiday and the progression of it. Also, I will be writing posts about some of the Christmas traditions that we celebrate. I will also be writing "thoughts from scripture" about Jesus's birth. Hopefully these posts will be informative. Let's commence in our celebration of this holiday season.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I want to take this time to wish everybody a nice Thanksgiving holiday. As I'm writing this it's already the day after. However, I still feel it's appropriate to wish everybody a Happy Thanksgiving! God's been abundantly gracious to us. He's better to us than we can ever begin to imagine. I Chronicles 16:8 says, "Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people." We are to give thanks unto the Lord for all his blessings. One of the greatest tragedies in this modern era that we're living is the lack of thankfulness that's displayed among the American people. It's not only the world that's unthankful but even many of God's people are unthankful. As humans we have a tendency to be unthankful. When trials and undesirable situations come our way we view our circumstances and tend to complain and moan and think we've been handed a raw deal. We fail to stop and recognize in the midst of our circumstances how good God is to us. We lose sight of God's goodness in our life, even in terrible circumstances.

Timothy mentions the spiritual condition our world will be in the last days. He said that men will be lovers of themselves, boastful, covetousness, unthankful, unholy in the last days before Christ's return. Unthankfulness is part of the untoward generation we're living in today. When we as God's people are unthankful, we're saying that God's best isn't sufficient for us. Even though we fail to see it that way, that's what we're in essence saying. I can say in my own life that God's been good to me. He's been far better than what I deserve. What's tragic is there have been generations that's owned far less material goods than what we own today. People from years past were more content with what they had than what we as Americans have in all of our abundance. People are never satisfied with all the gadgets and trinkets they possess. They must have more and more. They eyes of man are never satisfied.

Philippians 4:11 says, "Not that I speak in respect of want; for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." I was listening to a program on a local radio station one Sunday morning not too long ago. She was speaking of Thanksgiving and mentioned it's not too difficult to be thankful when you aren't lacking or wanting. She asked the question can you be thankful when your world's turned upside down, or there's sickness taking place, etc. Can you be thankful when there's problems with finances or you're having problems with those you work with? Those are good questions. I will admit that there's been people that have had nothing and were much more thankful than those that possess an abundance. Why is that so? Because those that lack many of the world's goods recognize that life doesn't consist of things. Life is about God. It's not about how many houses you can own or how many boats you can purchase. However, all people aren't wired the same. There are some people that don't possess much that are very ungrateful. It depends on how they view happiness or what their priorities are in life. Those that are very materialistic have a tendency to be more ungrateful than those that aren't consumed with material goods.

For the last few years I've been thinking about how good God's been to us and how he's allowed us to possess such an abundance of things. In the midst of all our abundance, we're very unappreciative of what God's given us. It's a shame. Some people have to lose everything they possess to realize how great they had it. It shouldn't be that way. It grieves me when I see the abundance we possess and how little appreciative we are for that abundance. I've been guilty for not being appreciative of the abundance I have. It's true life doesn't consist in the abundance of things. However, we need to recognize we serving a loving God and it ought to cause us to be overwhelmed with thanksgiving in our hearts that God would think enough of us to allow us to possess and enjoy the abundance he's given us. There are Christians that live in the Third World and they live in huts with dirt floors. They only clothing they have is what they're wearing. I guarantee many of those Christians are very happy and thankful. SOMETHING'S WRONG WITH US! SOMETHING'S WRONG WITH OUR THINKING! We possess more of the world's goods today than ever in the history of mankind. We need to learn to be appreciative of the abundance God's given us while we have that abundance. It should overwhelm us that God would choose for us to enjoy this abundance. If we would allow that thought to sink in our hearts and minds, you wouldn't hear very much murming and complaining. We would be some of the most thankful people if we recognize how gracious God's been to allow us to enjoy the nice things of life. That shows God's thoughtful when it comes to the needs of his children. He's mindful of his children.

Let's remember this weekend all the blessings God's given us. Let's remember to be thankful for America and all those soldiers that bled and died throughout the centuries for us to live in a free country called America. America was bought with a price. Most of all, let's be thankful for God's son coming down on earth to die for us on an old rugged cross to forgive us our sins. I'm thankful for the price Jesus paid on Calvary! Thank you Lord for your goodness!

Bodily Exercise May Profit Little, But it Still Profits

I Timothy 4:8 says, " For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." When reading that verse, it's very easy to disregard the need for bodily exercise. Some people would dismiss the notion that physical exercise is important for your body. That verse is not trying to demean bodily exercise. The point is that bodily exercise profits little in comparison to Godliness. Living a Godly life profits unto all things. The benefits of living a Godly life far exceed the profit that you reap from bodily exercise. That's the point this passage of scripture is trying to make. That passage isn't to be interpreted that bodily exercise isn't very important or irrelevant. Quite the contrary is true. I Corinthians 6:19-20 says, "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therfore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."

From reading I Corinthians 6:19 and 20 the Apostle Paul emphasizes that are bodies are temples of the Holy Ghost. That's saying we should take care of our bodies. The scriptures above verse 19 are talking about fornication but regardless whether it's fornication or some other sin, our bodies are a temple of the Holy Ghost and we should take care of it. That verse in itself should tell us there's a need for bodily exercise. We just need to learn that exercise has its place and we shouldn't exalt exercise to a level that God doesn't put it. There are some people that go overboard when it comes to exercise such as some bodybuilders for example. However, I'm not suggesting that a person overexert themselves when they exercise, but our bodies do require a tough workout. It's part of a balanced, healthy lifestyle. There are a number of important things that a person needs in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. They are proper nutrition, exercise, sleep, etc. These are important. Why is exercise so important? There are a number of reasons.

First of all, God created us and placed us here on this earth for a reason. First of all God wills for all man to be saved. For those that accept Jesus as Savior and Lord, God has a specific will to accomplish in their lives. In order to be able to accomplish God's will, we need to maintain our health. Therefore such key components as nutrition, exercise, and sleep are vital. If you neglect your health, you can limit your abilities when it comes to fulfilling God's will in your life. If you don't exercise, eat properly, take the right kind of vitamins to receive the nutrients you need, etc. then your energy level won't be what is needful for you to accomplish needed tasks in your daily life. One of the health problems many people experience today is a lack of energy. Some of that is due to aging as well as high levels of stress in our lives. I listened to a doctor on the radio named Dr. Michael Pinkus and he was mentioning that when you age, your adrenal glands don't secrete the hormones necessary to give you the necessary levels of energy. He said your body needs certain nutrients such as B2, B5, B6, B12, and a few other nutrients. He said when you are missing these nutrients, you have a tendency to feel worn out quite often. I don't know much about Dr. Pinkus but what little he mentions sounds plausible. When you age, it becomes very crucial to take care of your health. Our bodies wear down as we age and it's important to make sure we take the nutrients we need for our own health. When it comes to accomplishing the will of God in our lives, it's important that we possess and maintain high energy levels. We must make sure we exercise properly and take the right kind of nutrients to maintain our health.

Whenever you read the Bible you read about many wars that were fought in the Old Testament. I guarantee you the children of Israel had to engage in bodily exercise or training in order to be able to fight those wars. Before troops are sent into battle, they have to be sent to boot camp for physical training. Without proper exercise, there's no way the troops can be fit to fight battles. Exercise is an important function in life. There are some physical tasks that can't be performed unless we receive the proper physical training in our lives.

In writing all this, I'm by no means an authority on this subject. I'm not the epitome of great health. However, as I become older, I recognize the necessity of good nutrition and exercise. I do take vitamins on a daily basis. I also go walking out in the local park in the Spring and Summer. I fall short daily of what's necessary to maintain my health, but I do know the importance of exercise. There's no guarantee of longevity when it comes to bodily exercise, but a lack of nutrition and exercise will affect your energy levels. High energy levels are very crucial in living a very active lifestyle. That alone should convince Christians the necessity of exercise on a daily basis.

There are a few other reasons why exercise is important. I will briefly mention them. Some other reasons exercise is important are (1) it improves muscle tone, (2) it improves your circulation, (3) it improves your blood flow, (4) it also improves your heart, and (5) exercise is mentally therapeutic. There's been a number of times when I was out walking I was meditating on some things and my walking coupled with my meditation was a help to me. Former President George W. Bush used to jog on a regular basis when he was president and he stated jogging helped him in dealing with stress. There are other reasons why exercise can be profitable to you.

One thing that's important when it comes to reading the Word is to rightly divide it. Some Christians fail to do that properly. However, when reading about exercise, it's imperative that we don't dismiss it's importance because it profits little in comparison with Godliness. Exercise like anything else has its place in a Christian's life.

Senate Vote on Healthcare Bill Tonight

The U.S. Senate is currently holding a debate about allowing the new healthcare overhaul bill to go forward in the Senate. The Senate is supposed to vote on whether or not to allow the "debate" to go forward on "reforming" our nation's healthcare system. As of right now, the Senate has enough Senators that have committed themselves to vote "yea" on the bill tonight. The Senate only needs 60 votes to ensure the bill will go through it's first procedural hurdle tonight. There are 60 Democrats in the Senate. There were three Democrats that were undecided this week but all three have decided they will vote "yes" to allow the bill to move forward in the Senate. Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE) decided earlier this week he'll vote for the bill. Two other undecided Senators were Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and Mary Landrieu (D-LA). The healthcare overhaul proposal is very unpopular in the states they represent. Both have committed to voting "yes" on the healthcare overhaul.

The House passed it's healthcare overhaul bill on Saturday evening, November 7. Now Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is working with the House and Senate to help ensure passage of the bill. Reid's been in closed-door negotiations on this bill for weeks. The Senate bill which is up for a vote would require all Americans to purchase health insurance and set up exchanges where they could choose among various options. The bill would offer subsidies for low-income workers. Also, there would be a public-option component in this bill as well. The public-option would allow for a government-backed insurance plan which would compete with private insurers. The healthcare bill is 2074 pages long. If the Senate moves forward on the bill after tonight's vote, debate on the bill is expected to begin November 30 and last at least three weeks.

If this bill passes the Senate vote, it will mostly receive Democrat votes. There are enough Democrats to pass this bill alone in the Senate. The vast majority of Republicans are opposed to his bill. One of the arguments against this bill is that the healthcare overhaul proposal will be vastly expensive as well the new taxes on the bill would be too costly. Also there would be a tax on high-cost "Cadillac" insurance plans.

This bill needs to go down to defeat. It's a joke. First of all, there's no excuse to vote on a bill that exceeds 2000 pages. There's a lot of unhidden spending in that bill. Also, the Senators that are voting for that bill don't know what the bill contains. They don't care. They're just interested in controlling one-sixth of the nation's economy. That's what will happen if this version or another version similar to this bill is eventually passed and signed by President Obama. It has nothing to do with what's best for the American people. It's all about fulfilling a global socialist agenda. It's about the government reaching its tentacles into every fiber of the American economy. This bill would bankrupt the country. It's too costly! There's no way this healthcare bill can be funded.

When taking a look at the government's past track record when providing services for the American people such as Medicare and Social Security for example, the government has operated those systems very poorly. There's so much bureacracy and red tape that the costs far outweigh the benefits. We already have a bloated government bureaucracy as it is. We don't need to provide universal coverage for all Americans. With the government doing a pathetic job when it comes to running Medicare, why turn over one-sixth of the nation's economy to the government? It can't be done. How are we going to be able to fund this bill? Many Americans are out of work. There isn't enough of a tax base to fund this monstrosity. The Chinese leaders were concerned about the U.S. government passing a healthcare bill and being able to afford it. They told Obama that on his latest Asian trip this past week. China purchases America's debt.

America is in for dramatic changes if the healthcare bill is eventually passed by the Senate and signed by President Obama. The quality of healthcare treatment we receive will be scaled back. Medical advancements that have been made the last few decades are costly. This government healthcare bill won't be able to fund all the lastest medical advances. Health services will have to be scaled back considerably. American taxpayers don't make enough money on their weekly checks to be able to fund this type of healthcare. There also aren't enough taxpayers to contribute to this system. Many workers have been laid off the past year. The government-run option might sound appealing to some Americans, but once the government removes their competition through lower costs, then the government will raise the fees once their competition is eliminated. I know there are problems with private insurers, but when the government eliminates the private insurers, there won't be a public option because the federal government will be your only option. The government will compete with the private insurers for the purpose of eliminating them so the American people will have no other form of health insurance but a government-run health insurance. It's a terrible plan. Since this plan would be costly, you will have the government making decisions on what type of people should be allowed to survive and what type of treatment they should receive. Government would be responsible in determining who lives or dies. I believe it will eventually come down to that.

Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH) said that this healthcare bill that's up for voting tonight isn't about debate. He said when most of these bills clear their first major hurdle, then the bill will eventually pass. Those in charge desire for a national health coverage because they want to control every apsect of American lives. Americans will not enjoy the freedoms that we currently enjoy if this bill is passed. Americans eventually won't have the option to choose what kind of healthcare coverage they desire. The government will compete against private health insurers in order for them to eventually be eliminated. They want the American people to be dependent on them. That's the whole sum of things. IT'S ABOUT CONTROL--NOTHING ELSE!

Who's Going to be Placed on Trial-- Mohammed or Bush-Cheney-CIA?

I read an article posted by Joseph Farah on the World Net Daily today. The title of his post was, "Trying Terrorists, or Bush-Cheney?" I have to say sadly I agree with what he said. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said last Friday that he's going to try 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and the other Gitmo detainees in a civilian court in New York City. Holder made this decision while Obama is gone on an Asian trip. It goes to show that this administration has a different view about those terrorists that are trying to destroy our way of life. It's not something that the citizens of New York are going to like. They've watched their loved ones die unnecessarily on September 11, 2001. The last thing the citizens of New York desire is a show trial. That's all it will be.

One of the debates that America's politicians and judges have been looking into is whether those guilty of committing acts of terrorism, or those plotting acts of terrorism, should be treated as enemy combatants and be handled by the military or should these terrorist suspects be given lawyers and tried in civilian courts. Should these terrorist suspects be Mirandized? It's a very foolish debate. The liberal/progressive argument is that the Geneva Accords doesn't include terrorists such as those working for Al-Qaeda because they aren't soldiers in uniform fighting for a particular country such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, or Yemen, for example. However, these Islamic terrorists are engaging in acts of war against the United States. They are at war with our country. They don't dress themselves in a military uniform. Terrorists dress like civilians. These Islamic terrorists dress and conduct themselves as ordinary people until the time they execute their plot. The Obama administration believes Al-Qaeda suspects should be given lawyers and they should be tried in criminal courts. Hence, they believe in treating Islamic terrorism like it's a criminal justice matter instead of an act of war. I've had major disagreements with the previous Bush administration on a number of fronts, but one area that they were right in their assessment when it came to fighting terrorism was treating Al-Qaeda terrorists as terrorists and the Bush administration subjected them to harsh interrogation techniques. Bush was exactly right in treating terrorist suspects as those guilty of committing acts of war against America. He wavered on that to some degree but he did have right concept when it came to handling terrorist suspects.

Throughout the history of America from the Revolutionary War until recently our country has always allowed the military to deal with prisoners of war. We never until within the last ten years ever subjected terrorist suspects to a criminal trial. We never assigned rights to foreign prisoners of war. We used to try prisoners of war in military tribunals. Prisoners of war or terrorist suspects that are from another country don't deserve constitutional protection from the United States. They aren't citizens of this country. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was caught in Pakistan in 2003. He's not a U.S. citizen. He shouldn't receive a civilian trial. He's already pleaded guilty and has been through a military trial. Why are we allowing Mohammed and other Gitmo detainees to be tried in a civilian court in New York City? I believe it's for political reasons. I believe it's a show trial. It's all about politics. What will take place at this trial in New York City is Mohammed and those detainees will be asked questions about their treatment as Gitmo detainees. They will be asked about the kind of diet they ate while there as well as were they allowed to practice their religion. They will also be asked about the diverse interrogation techniques that was administered to them. They will be asked whether they were waterboarded and if they were, how often. (Most liberals/progressives, and the ACLU are opposed to waterboarding) Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was waterboarded and as a result he supposedly revealed some plots that Al-Qaeda was planning to use to attack America. It will show the whole world including the Al-Qaeda terrorists from the Middle East and around the world what kind of interrogation techniques were used against the detainees. It will inform our enemies all our secrets when it comes to questioning the detainees. It will work against America's advantage and it will enable the terrorists to know when to attack and not to make the same mistake twice. It's a vendetta against the previous Bush administration and the CIA. It will reveal the Bush-Cheney administration's techniques on how they extracted information from these detainees. It will put America in a bad light around the world. All our secrets will be revealed and there's nothing that won't be known to the entire world when it comes to how America handles terrorists.

This sounds strange but the liberals and progressives in the media and in our government have an unwarranted obsession with how our enemy is treated when we take them in as prisoners as well as whether or not their "constitutional" rights have been violated. It makes no sense whatsoever. They're more concerned about how our enemy is treated than our own soldiers that are sacrificing themselves on a daily basis in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Their loyalty isn't to America. They're more concerned about the Third World than the plight of Americans. This court trial can put our national security at risk if it's broadcast before the whole world. These detainees will be spewing forth venom in the Arabic language about what they think of America and how they've been treated. It'll be nothing but anti-American propaganda. It's insane. Our liberals and progressives don't uphold the same view of America as the average American does. To them, America is just another territory or region in this world. They view everything in terms of globalism. They don't view America as an independent, sovereign country. We're just another country lumped in with all the other countries of the world. They're globalists. Therefore, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in their view is just as much of a citizen as the average American is. They view Americans along with citizens of other countries as world citizens. Therefore, Mohammed and the Gitmo detainees are in the same standing when it comes to citizenship and constitutional rights just like the average American is. They believe in the concept of global governance.

What makes everything so complicated when it comes to the liberal/progressive view of global governance is that even Republicans or so-called conservatives such as Bush/Cheney are also globalists. They believe in the New World Order just like the progressives do. It just so happens on this issue when it comes to the interrogation of prisoners of war both Bush and Cheney are right. Our media today appears to be more supportive of our enemies and their "rights" than the safety and security of America. This trial in New York City would be tragic for America. However, this trial will be for political purposes. It's a vendetta against the previous Bush administration and the CIA. They will be showcasing all the methods that have been used in interrogating the Gitmo detainees. It will be a tragic day for America. This trial is also a slap to those New Yorker's who lost loved ones in the 9/11 attacks. This trial will re-open old wounds.

The Importance of Knowing Bible Doctrine

One of the greatest tragedies in America's churches today is the great lack of Biblical literacy among those lay members that sit in the pews. There's even a great lack of Biblical literacy among many clergy as well. That's why there's so much false doctrine being propagated in the mainline denominations regardless whether it's Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Assembly of God, etc. In Christendom today there's a movement which is called Ecumenism which stresses unity among the "Christian" churches of the world. Ecumenism teaches that churches should lay aside Bible doctrine and eliminate denominations and all Christian churches should be united together. They teach we all should love another. The old adage goes, "Doctrine divides, love unites." It is true that doctrine does divide people. However, without doctrinal distinctives, there's no way to define what a church is, what it stands for, and its mission. There's so much confusion in America's mainline denominations due to the lack of doctrine being preached and taught.

II Timothy 2:15-16 says, "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness." The Apostle Paul is telling Timothy the important of studying scripture. God places a huge premium on knowing scripture. That's why God gave the world a written copy of the Bible. Christians need doctrine in order to be established and thoroughly furnished unto good works. Without the teaching and preaching of Bible doctrine, how are Christians to know how to live their lives and learn their purpose in this life as a Christian? That's the problem in today's churches. That's even so in many Baptist churches regardless whether it's Southern or Independent Baptist. We wonder why the world has such a distorted view of what Christianity is all about. It's due to the fact that many saved people are ignorant about many doctrines of the Bible and they can't portray Christ to the world like they should. I Timothy 4:1-3 says, "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth."

Those that are ignorant of the doctrines of the Bible are prey to falling for false teachings. There's an array of false teachers that teach false doctrines in this society. There are many teachers and preachers that have departed from the faith and as a result they are deceiving many because those that are deceived don't know God's word. Jude says in Jude vs. 3 and 4, "Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ."

From vss. 3 and 4 it's evident how spiritually dangerous it is when Christians don't earnestly contend for the faith. Why is it so important to know the doctrines of the Bible? One of the above reasons is so Christians can earnestly contend for the faith. Unless you know the doctrines that are taught in scripture, you won't know what to contend for. Another reason why it's so important to know Bible doctrines is so Christians can instruct other people in scripture. We obviously know why preachers that stand behind the pulpit need to know the doctrines of the Bible. But lay members need to know as well. Those that have children need to know doctrine so they can instruct their children in Bible doctrines. Christians also need to know Bible doctrines so they can grant an answer at any moment to those in the world that's without Christ. The Bible says we should have an answer when somebody asks us of the hope that we have within us. There are people you'll come in contact with in the local community as well as at work that may ask you a number of questions about scripture. If a Christian isn't versed in scripture, then they won't be of much help to those sinners in the world. Christians will be challenged concerning their faith and they need to be able to answer questions that the world will pose to them. That's very critical.

Christians also need to learn Bible doctrine so they will be able to detect false doctrines and false teachers. When you know the Word of God throughly you have the ability to detect teachings that are false. First of all, a person has to be saved in order to have any spiritual discernment. The Word of God is a book that's spiritually discerned and unless one is saved a person won't have spiritual discernment. However, a Christian who studies the word with the aid of the Holy Spirit will learn some truths and will have discernment when it comes to identifying false teachings. There are an array of false teachings in our churches today. There is a vast array of false doctrine in the Independent Baptist movement. For a number of years there's been teachings that have perverted the gospel. There have been teachers teaching a salvation without repentance. That's damnable heresy. There have been false teachings on such doctrines as Calvinism and Arminianism for example. The Methodists and the Holiness groups teach a child of God can lose their salvation. The question has to be at what point can a Christian lose their salvation and what sin does a Christian have to commit to cross the line? The Bible says we're saved and sealed until the day of redemption. Many church members have been led astray due to the propagation of false teachings. Much of that is due to a lack of knowledge of Bible doctrines.

I remember hearing a statement that an evangelist that lives in Jacksonville, Florida make years ago. He said two problems among Baptists today is they don't know their doctrine nor their heritage. I say amen to that. I believe a church needs unity. However, I believe the unity Jesus is referring to is the unity in the local church. A local church that has no unity will accomplish nothing for Christ. However, there's nowhere in the Bible where Jesus says all Christian churches should unite together in love and discard Bible doctrine. Without Bible doctrine, there's no way you can instruct a Christian on how they should conduct their lives in this world. It would be like having a mechanic that's never read or learned how to fix a car. If a mechanic doesn't know the first thing about car repairs, you wouldn't want him to mess with your car. That's the same with Christians. A Christian can't be salt and light if they don't know scripture. Just like you can't teach math to someone if you don't know how to work out an equation a Christian will be of little value if they don't know Bible doctrine.

Lou Dobbs Exits CNN

Lou Dobbs, who has hosted a television program on CNN since it's founding in 1980, abruptly resigned last Wednesday November 11. In an interview with Bill O'Reilly on the O'Reilly Factor program, Dobbs stated his form of advocacy journalism fell out of place following the election of Barack Obama as president. He stated that he never heard directly from the CNN management that he made the network look bad. He wasn't directly criticized by CNN's management. However, he stated he remembered that there was a change in tone at CNN following Obama's victory. Dobbs resigned because he could no longer operate under CNN's push to avoid airing anchor opinions in prime time. Lou Dobbs was considered a lightning rod for many liberals because of his strong opposition to illegal immigration. He received criticism from many Latino groups because of his unwavering stance on that issue. He was classified as very opinionated on various political issues. Dobbs was also criticized for his statement on the subject regarding Barack Obama's birth certificate in August. He said he firmly believes Barack Obama is a U.S. citizen, but he needed to reveal his birth certificate to the public to quell doubts whether Obama is a natural-born citizen.

Lou Dobbs was born in Childress, Texas. He attended school in Idaho and played tackle football in High School. He was also student class president in high school. Upon graduation from high school, he attended Harvard until he graduated there in 1967 with a degree in economics. Following his graduation from Harvard he worked in federal anti-poverty programs in Washington, D.C. and Boston. He also briefly attended law school at the University of Idaho. He later worked for different media outlets. In 1979 a recruiter for Ted Turner, founder of CNN offered him a job at the newly created CNN in 1980. Lou Dobbs hosted CNN's Moneyline from 1980-2009. He was an economics correspondent for CNN as well as a corporate executive there. In 1999 Dobbs resigned due to clashes with then CNN President Rick Kaplan. Kaplan was a supporter of then President Bill Clinton and Dobbs felt Kaplan was too partisan and too busy pushing "Clinton stories." After the Columbine shooting, CNN was conducting extensive coverage of the incident in Littleton, Colorado. Dobbs had ordered the producer to cut away from the Columbine shooting and go back to airing "Moneyline". Rick Kaplan didn't approve of what Dobbs did so Dobbs resigned. In 2000, Dobbs retured back to CNN at the behest of Ted Turner. Moneyline was renamed "Lou Dobbs Moneyline." In 2003 the show was renamed "Lou Dobbs Tonight" and remained on the air until his departure last week.

Dobbs was a lifelong Republican until the last few years. He now declares himself an "independent populist" who owes his allegiance to no political party. He did support the Bush campaign in 2000 but since his election Dobbs said the Bush administration has been "disgraceful" in it's policies. He is a fiscal conservative. He is strongly opposed to illegal immigration and believes in enforcing the immigration laws on the books. He's opposed to manipulative capitalism. He doesn't believe in America negotiating in free trade deals which results in numerous jobs being exported overseas. He hammered the Bush administration for negotiating free trade deals that weren't good for America. He doesn't believe in government and huge multi-national corporations being aligned together. He's opposed to huge business influencing the government. He believes that huge budget and trade deficits as well as outsourcing and offshoring are harmful to America's middle-class. He believes in economic populism. Dobbs is very wary of China which he repeatedly refers to as "Communist China." Bravo!

In all the years I've listened to Dobbs, I've had tremendous respect for him. He was the most accurate when it came to journalism on CNN. He was willing to stand for what's right regardless which way the wind blows. He isn't a partisan and I applaud him for that. His program was the only reason that CNN was worth watching. The other anchors on CNN are out on left field. I don't agree with all his viewpoints, but he's right on target when it comes to outsourcing, globalization, trade deficits, and the list continues. He was an ardent opponent of the policies of the Bush administration. He also opposes President Obama's policies as well. When Bill O'Reilly asked Dobbs whether he thought President Obama was the Devil, he said no but he believes President Obama has mismanaged the country. He doesn't agree with Obama's policies on healthcare and Afghanistan either.

Dobbs said he doesn't know what he's going to do as of right now. He's keeping his options open. He stated he will remain in the public eye. There has been speculation that he might sign on with the FOX news channel. But he hasn't made any kind of affirmation whether he would join FOX news. There could be an opportunity he might run for a Senate seat in New Jersey next year. He owns a 300-acre farm in Sussex County, New Jersey. One thing you can almost guarantee: he'll be seen quite often in the public eye.

Apostasy in Today's Churches

I Timothy 4:1-5 says, "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused , if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer." This passage of scripture is talking about apostasy which is a falling away from God's truth. II Timothy 3:1-7 also mentions about the coming apostasy in the last days. Apostasy is departing from the truth. It talks about those in the church that once stood for the faith but now have compromised and departed from the faith. We have different cults and religions that preach heresy such as the Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormonism, and Catholicism, for example. But this passage is not talking about those denominations or "churches" that have always preached and practiced false doctrine.

Since the advent of the early church there have been false religions everywhere. However, the problem here is that there were some churches that once stood for the Bible but now have allowed false doctrine to creep into their churches. You read that in the New Testament. Paul had to rebuke the church at Corinth for some of their false teachings. The church at Galatia had mixed law and grace together. There's always false teachers and preachers that creep into the church and preach doctrines that are contrary to scripture. In the book of Jude the writer told the Christians to "earnestly contend for the faith." In Jude vs. 4 it says, "For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ." The heretical doctrine of Gnosticism was preached to the church that Jude was warning about. He told the Christians to contend for the faith that was once delivered to the saints.

It's very important in every generation that a group of Christians contend for the truth. The Devil is a roaring lion seeking whom he may destroy. There's all kind of religious confusion in America today. Much of that is due to the diversity of religious teachings in our mainline denominations. When it comes to the central doctrines of scripture, many pastors have diluted the Word of God to adapt it to today's culture. Many churches have used "user friendly" methods in their churches to draw crowds into their churches. They've substituted programs for the drawing of the Holy Spirit. John 6:44 says that no man can be saved apart from the drawing of the Holy Spirit. Churches are using worldly methods to draw sinners into their churches. As a result, we have church members that are no more than a "twofold child of hell." The preaching of the Word is the only solution to America's problems.

Not only is there religious confusion in our mainline denominations, but you also find many heretical teachings in the Southern and Independent Baptist churches. You can't find many Independent Baptist churches that stand for the pure unadulterated Word of God. As a result, there have been many splits and schisms in the Independent Baptist movement. There are a couple of areas where Independent Baptists have strayed: One area is using other translations besides the King James and another is preaching a salvation with no repentance. There was a time when the Independent Baptists used to preach and teach out of the King James. Today there are numerous translations that Independent Baptists use. These modern translations come from corrupt texts. The King James came from the Textus Receptus, which was a pure text. In these modern translations, they'll remove the reference to the "blood" in Colossians and in the Gospels they refer to Mary as a "young woman" instead of virgin. That changes the meaning of scripture. There's also heresy being preached when it comes to the Biblical doctrine of salvation.

There's been a group of Independent Baptists over the years that have preached "easy-believism" or hyperevangelism which teach a salvation without repentance and Lordship. There's no such thing as a salvation without repentance and Lordship. If there's no repentace, there's no regeneration or change. Many church members have been deceived as a result of that. There have been scores of Baptists sitting on pews unsaved due to the propagation of "easy-believism." Any gospel that compromises on salvation is heretical. You don't have a true gospel when the truth about salvation is tampered with. Today it no longer means anything to proclaim oneself an Independent Baptist. It has no more meaning to it than referring to yourself as a Republican politically.

We not only have apostasy when it comes to the perversion of scripture, but we have apostasy concerning the preachers in our country. There have been countless preachers that have fallen by the wayside over the last twenty-five years. One example is Billy Graham. Billy Graham has been one of the most influential evangelists in America for over 50 years. Tragically, he's fallen into apostasy. I know that's controversial, but it's sadly true. I have listened to a couple of his 1957 sermons on YouTube clips and they were good. He preached a lot straighter when he first started out. Today he's denied the importance of the blood in salvation, and that Jesus is the only way to Heaven. He made that statement in some interviews on YouTube. He's one of many. The late Jerry Falwell started out straight. Years later when he started forming the Moral Majority and got heavily involved with politics, he compromised on his stands. He definitely compromised in 1990 when he allowed Liberty University to accept federal funding to keep the university afloat. Since then everything went downhill. There have been scores of Independent Baptist preachers that once proclaimed the Gospel and preached it straight when it came to preaching the authenticated Word of God. Today many of them have either quit the ministry or are now preaching open heresy.

Apostasy is what the Bible predicted would be happening in the church prior to the rapture of the church. It's very critical in this day that we're living that we be aligned with a Bible-believing church that preaches the King James Bibles and practices what they preach. We also need the presence of God in our churches. It's important to have a man of God that cares for his sheep. It's very difficult to find a man of God that's grounded in the Word that will preach without compromise. There are many pastors that are nothing but hirelings. Then there are some pastors that have not been under a sound church with a man of God that was anointed of God. It's very serious to not take for granted churches that stand for old-time gospel truth. Hebrews 10:25 says "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." In this age of apostasy, we need to be faithful in the House of God because Jesus is coming back. Don't fall prey to all the heresy that's taught in many churches today!

Can Sarah Palin Become the Next President?

Former Alaska Governor and the 2008 vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin has just recently released a new book. It's called Going Rogue. There's an article about some of the details on Palin's new book in an USA Today newspaper. She exposed tensions between her and aides to John McCain, the Republican party nominee for president. She mentioned about friction between her and McCain's camp. She also says she was "bottled up" from the news media and of having to pay a $50,000 tab for the background check that the McCain campaign ran on her before McCain tapped Palin as his vice presidential pick. McCain's campaign denied billing Palin for the background check.

The revelations from the book came amid an interview Palin had with Oprah Winfrey before a studio audience in Chicago. The Palin interview will be aired on the Oprah Winfrey show Monday. Palin is also scheduled to appear on the O'Reilly Factor program on FOX news next Thursday and Friday. Palin said on her Facebook page that she had a great interview with Winfrey. Palin expressed a desire to reconcile with Levi Johnston, the father of her first grandchild. Oprah asked Palin did she intend to have Johnston over for Thanksgiving. Johnston is the father of Bristol Palin's child. They both had the child out of wedlock and they didn't go through plans to marry one another. Palin also mentioned to Winfrey she flubbed on the interview with CBS anchor Katie Couric last year over foreign policy questions.

Since Palin's suprise resignation as Alaska governor this July she's been out traveling. She founded a political action committee called SarahPAC, and has put together a book together with all the marks of a campaign. There's been speculation that she's considering a run for the presidency in 2012. I was very surprised that she resigned as governor. I speculate she'll be traveling the country within the next three years promoting her book and raising her profile for a future presidential run. I wouldn't be suprised she finds some type of job making some money trying to beef up her profile and prove she knows how to operate a business.

In some of the latest polls former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee is considered the frontrunner on the Republican side for 2012. Mitt Romney places second in the polls. Does Sarah have an opportunity to win the presidency? If she were to run in 2012, I don't believe her prospects for winning that year would be great. I predict that there's a great possibility that Barack Obama could win re-election, especially if the Republicans make a repeat of 1994. Her chances of winning the Republican primary would be greater in 2016, of course anything could happen between now and 2012. If she is to have a chance, she'll be fine-tuned and pruned by the Republican party bossess to become the "establishment" candidate the party bosses desire. She will have to fit the criteria of the "establishment" Republicans if she is to win the Republican nomination, much less the presidential election.

Some conservatives hail her as the next best thing to Ronald Reagan. I remember when John McCain tapped her as his VP choice and talk show hosts such as Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity heaped praise on her. She was huge news in the conservative media. Some conservatives felt she could be an agent of change in Washington. Over the last year, she's received many disheartening attacks from the media. Sarah Palin has had a fairly successful stint as Alaska's governor. However, to think she is going to be a "maverick" or an "agent of change" in Washington, D.C. is wishful thinking. The presidency is rigged by elitists. The president is nothing but a figurehead for the internationalist moneychangers. If she was to become president, she would go along with the agenda of the elitists and pay back favors towards those who supported her campaign. The way the political system is rigged, there's no way that Sarah Palin would change Washington and steer it in the right direction. Instead, Washington will change her! I know that sounds cynical, but sadly it's the truth.

The Fort Hood Shooting

On Thursday, November 5, Army psychiatrist Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan went on a shooting rampage at the Fort Hood Army Base in Fort Hood, Texas, near Killeen. In the process he killed fourteen people (12 soldiers, one civilian, 1 and an unborn child), and he wounded 30 others. Fort Hood is the most populous military base in the world. The incident occurred at 1:34 p.m. CST. According to reports, Hasan entered his workplace, The Soldier Readiness Center, where personnel receive routine medical treatment immediately prior to and from deployment. He took a seat at an empty table, bowed his head for several seconds, and then stood up and opened fire. According to eyewitnesses, he jumped onto a desk and shouted, "Allahu Akbar!" He had two handguns: an FN Five-seven semi-automatic pistol and a .357 Magnum revolver. He fired 100 rounds. He finally was shot by civilian police officers. He is charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 accounts of attempted murder under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. He may face additional charges at court-martial.

Nidal Malik Hasan is an American-born Muslim of Palestinian descent who on a number of occasions expressed radical beliefs. He is 39 years old and is an army psychiatrist. When his parents died in 1998 and 2001 he became a more devout Muslim. Nader Hasan, one of Nidal's cousins who is a lawyer in Virginia, said that Hasan's opinion turned against both the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq upon hearing stories from soldiers who were in that war. He attended Dar Al-Hirjah mosque in Falls Church, Virginia in 2001, at the same time as Nawaf al-Hazmi and Hani Hanjour, two of the September 11th hijackers. A review of Hasan's computer revealed visits to websites espousing radical Islamist ideas. He expressed admiration for the Anwar al-Awlaki, imam at Dar al-Hirjah mosque between 2000 and 2002. It's also been revealed that he communicated by email with Anwar al-Awlaki. Once while presenting what was supposed to be a medical lecture to other psychiatrists, he chose to lecture about Islam. He stated that non-believers would be sent to hell, decapitated, set on fire, and have burning oil poured down their throats.

For six years he worked at Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, D.C. According to National Public Radio, the supervisors at Walter Reed had met to discuss what to do with Hasan. He received poor evaluations and was said to have performed substandard work. They said he was very strange. The supervisors at Walter Reed said he was disconnected, aloof, paranoid, belligerent, and schizoid. He was transferred to the Fort Hood Army Base. He had expressed admiration for Al-Awlaki's teachings. Al-Awlaki was under surveillance and he was investigated by the FBI after intelligence agencies intercepted 18 emails between Al-Awlaki and Hasan. There was one email where Hasan stated, "I can't wait to join you," in the afterlife. And there was another where Hasan asked Al-Awlaki about when jihad is appropriate. The Army officials were notified by those intercepted emails but they didn't perceive Hasan as a threat. Army officials turned their head the other way. They refused to acknowledge that Hasan could be a potential terrorist.

Nidal Malik Hasan should've been dismissed from the army given his strange behavior as well as his devotion to extreme Islamic teachings. In the midst of all the evidence that was used proving that Hasan believed in jihad should've raised some red flags. He was a potential danger and he proved that. This shooting at Fort Hood should've NEVER TAKEN PLACE! The problem is political correctness run amok. The federal government at all levels has hired and promoted Muslims to influential positioins. They require "sensitivity training" for federal employees, including those working at the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security. All this foolishness emboldens our enemies. Our government is giving the okay for radical Islamists to infiltrate all levels of our government, even the military, and refuses to see the danger radical Islam imposes on the safety and security of Americans. Hasan should be tried as a terrorist. He should be interrogated. Our government is in bed with the Middle Eastern world as well as influential Muslims in the U.S. This is suicidal. These Islamists are serious about their religion. They view America and Israel as the infidel which need to be destroyed. The jihadists are seeking to destroy America's way of life. Army General George Casey should be terminated after making the foolish statement that the military is "committed to diversity." It's DIVERSITY THAT'S DESTROYING US! What unifies Americans are those common values that bind us together as a country. The religion of Islam is foreign to the American way of thinking. Islamic jihadists have no place in America. It's time America's borders be secured and we stop allowing Muslims to come to America. We owe no allegiance to the Muslims. While we're on the subject, it's time we drill for our own oil in America so we don't have to import oil from the Middle East. We need to make the Middle East irrevelant when it comes to American interests. THE ISLAMIC JIHADISTS NEED TO BEWARE AND KNOW THEY AREN'T ALLOWED TO COME INTO THIS COUNTRY TO DESTROY IT! THIS IS AMERICA--LAND OF THE FREE, HOME OF THE BRAVE!

Veterans Day

Today is Veterans Day. We celebrate Veterans Day on November 11th of each year. We should take time each year to remember and honor our veterans in America. We have veterans that have fought in a number of wars over the years. We have veterans from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf War of 1991, the war in Afghanistan and the current war in Iraq beginning in 2003. Let's set aside some time today to personally thank each veteran for serving our country and sacrificing their lives for the benefit of America. If it wasn't for the Veterans, we wouldn't be enjoying the freedoms that we dearly enjoy today in America. If you listen to talk radio, you hear a lot of references being made to the freedom of speech being under attack. When we think of America's veterans, we need to remember it's because of them that we have freedom of speech in America. We have the freedom to speak our minds and make statements that are unpopular. Many countries don't allow their citizens the freedom of speech like America does. It's a special privilege that we shouldn't take for granted. One time years ago I was at the local post office in my hometown and I saw a sign on the board there which was giving tribute to the American soldier. It stated that it was because of the American soldier that we have freedom of speech; not protesters. I wholeheartedly agree with that. Our veterans have protected this country from tyranny over the years. When I think of World War II, I think of the veterans that so bravely and valiantly fought that war. It was a crucial time in the history of our world. We had dictators such as Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, and Hirohito on the loom. Hilter was on a quest for world domination. Thanks to God and our brave veterans the forces of Hitler were turned back. I have to agree with Tom Brokaw that the World War II generation was the greatest generation.

Here's a little background of Veterans Day. On November 11, 1918, a treaty was signed with Germany to officially end World War I. It was known as Armistice Day. The hostilities ceased on the 11th hour, the 11th day, and the 11th month of 1918. On November 11, 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11th as Armistice Day. The U.S. Congress concurrently passed a resolution seven years later June 4, 1926 proclaiming it Armistice Day (52 Stat. 351; 5 U.S. Code Sec. 87a). On May 13, 1938 Armistice Day was set aside as a legal holiday. It was to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as "Armistice Day." In 1953 in Emporia, Kansas there was a shoe store owner named Al King who decided to push for an "All" Veterans Day on November 18. He wanted to recognize and honor all veterans from all wars instead of just the veterans from World War I. King was involved with American War Dads during World War II. The Emporia Chamber of Commerce in Kansas took up the cause and on November 11, 1953 90% of Emporia merchants as well as the Board of Education favored closing the doors of businesses that day to celebrate the holiday. U.S. Representative Ed Rees pushed a bill to make Veterans Day a national holiday. President Dwight Eisenhower signed the bill into law on May 26, 1954. On November 8, 1954 Congress amended the act and "Armistice Day" was changed to "Veterans Day". The holiday has been known as Veterans Day ever since.

In 1971 in accordance with the Uniform Monday Holiday Act the holiday was celebrated on the 4th Monday of October. In 1978 the holiday was moved back to its original celebration on November 11. In recent years there's been a trend in many businesses against closing to celebrate the holiday. The Post Office and the banks still close to celebrate Veterans Day.

In these last several years America has been embroiled in two wars in the Middle East. There's been many that have protested America's participation in Iraq for example. Many Americans today feel that our still being in Iraq and Afghanistan is futile. I have been a critic the last several years on how our government has conducted these two wars. I make no bones about that. However, that's not the fault of our soldiers. Our attitude towards America's veterans and soldiers currently fighting these wars shouldn't be based on our thoughts toward America's participation in both wars in the Middle East. The soldiers have done a marvelous job. They're doing what they're instructed to do by their commanders. We have no excuse to vent out our anger towards our troops or veterans because of the foolish decisions that the Pentagon makes. Many of our Vietnam veterans were greeted with hostility and were even spat upon when they returned from Vietnam in the early 70's. That's not right. We should thank and be appreciative of our veterans for what they've done to preserve America's freedom. If we are going to vent our anger towards anyone, it should be toward the Congress and the President, not our soldiers.

The 2009 Election

Yesterday was election day. There were elections in a handful of states such as Virginia and New Jersey. There were many mayoral races in different parts of the country such as New York City, Atlanta, Houston, Detroit, etc. Two of the most prominent races were gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia. New Jersey featured gubernatorial candidates Democrat and incumbent Jon Corzine and Republican Chris Christie. They were both in a neck-and neck tie. Virginia featured gubernatorial candidates Bob McDonnell (R) and Creigh Deeds (D). There was also a hotly contested race in New York's 23rd Congressional District. It's a Republican district that's been in Republican hands for over one hundred fifty years. President Obama tapped former Represenative John McHugh as Army Secretary. Therefore it created the need for a special election. The candidates for that district were Bill Owens (D), and Dan Hoffman (CP). Dede Formozzafava suspended her campaign after conservative uproar over her views on abortion and gay rights, for example.

The campaign results from last night are these: In New Jersey Republican Chris Christie defeated Democratic incumbent Jon Corzine by five percentage points. In Virginia Republican Bob McDonnell won handily over Democrat Creigh Deeds by 18 points. In New York's 23rd Congressional district Democrat Bill Owens defeated Conservative Party Dan Hoffman. In the New York mayoral race Michael Bloomberg won a third term as mayor. Boston and Detroit's mayoral incumbents also won.

With the Republicans winning gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia could this be a harbinger of a Republican turnaround in Congress next year? President Obama has been keeping his eye on this election. He stumped for defeated incumbent Jon Corzine in New Jersey at least three times within a week. Obama also stumped a number of times for Creigh Deeds in Virginia as well. It was all to no avail. I have another question. Could the voter turnout Tuesday be a repudiation of President Obama's agenda, especially his healthcare agenda? Republicans need to be cautious and not assume that Tuesday's vote is a mandate for Republican rule. Election 2010 will be different than the election of 1994. Prior to 1994 Republicans hadn't ruled the House of Representatives for 40 years and only had control of the U.S. Senate a couple of times. Since 1994 the Republicans were in charge of the House for 12 years and the Senate for most of that time. The Republicans in Congress continued the same spending habits as the Democrats before them. The Republicans were in power for 12 years and had nothing to show for it. There was corruption in the Republican Congress just as there was corruption in past Democratic Congresses. Americans also still remember the previous Bush administration and many of them still blame Bush for the worldwide recession. Bush still receives more blame for the recession than President Obama. Many of those independent Americans that attended the tea parties in droves this past year are very unhappy with Obama's socialist agenda, especially his healthcare agenda. It was the independent voters who attended the tea parties that turned out to vote. The independent conservative voters are not only infuriated with the Democrats but the Republicans as well. Many Americans feel both parties are out of touch with mainstream America.

There were polls taken in New Jersey which stated that Tuesday's vote wasn't about President Obama but local issues. Jon Corzine was an unpopular governor in New Jersey. Also New Jersey is bankrupt and feeling the effects of the recession. New Jersey went Republican for the first time in twelve years. Virginia elected its first Republican governor in eight years. Virginia was the same stated that voted for Obama in last year's general election. Whenever there's an economic downturn, the party that's currently in charge is the party that's likely to be voted out. When the Democrats are in control and the economy's sour, the voters will turn them out. When the Republicans are in control and the economy's sour, then the voters will turn them out. Tuesday's vote had nothing to do with party preference. The independent voters don't care about party affiliation. They're concerned with the philosophy our leaders espouse as well as which direction they're taking this country. Right now voters across the country believe this country's headed down the wrong direction. This sums up Tuesday's voter turnout.

The Republican Party Shouldn't be Running Obama-lite Candidates

One of the hotly-contested races taking place on Tuesday November 3, 2009 is the special election in the 23rd Congressional District in New York. The seat was formerly held by Republican John McHugh, whom President Obama appointed as Army Secretary. The candidates for that race were Democrat Bill Owens, Republican Dede Scozzafava, and Conservative Party candidate Dan Hoffman. Yesterday Scozzafava decided to suspend her campaign. She said it was due to both sides outspending her in money. So she dropped out and today she announced she's backing Democrat Bill Owens over third-party candidate Dan Hoffman. Dede Scozzafava is very liberal on social issues. She supports abortion and gay rights. She was endorsed by the teacher's union and she also was supported by ACORN as well. Of the two candidates remaining, the race is too close to call. Congratulations to Scozzafava for dropping out of the race.

The district has been a Republican-leaning district for years. What I found interesting was Newt Gingrich (former House Speaker) supporting Scozzafava as the candidate prior to dropping out of the race. I found it disappointing someone like Gingrich who claims to be a conservative having supported a candidate who doesn't represent conservative values nor is anything similar to Ronald Reagan. Many of today's "conservatives" like to refer to themselves as "Reagan Republicans". However, Scozzafava doesn't even come close. She's a Democrat with a Republican name. It disturbs me that that "conservative" Republicans like Newt Gingrich will endorse candidates that by no means uphold conservative values. It's all about affiliation with a party. I used to hear an old statement years ago that some people would vote for a Democrat if it was a snake. I'm seeing the same thing with some Republicans. No Republican that's a conservative should be endorsing "Republican" candidates that are very similar to Barack Obama or liberal, progressive Democrats. You hear the old adage that we must vote for either the Republican or the Democratic candidate. If you vote for a third-party candidate, you're throwing your vote away. Even talk-show host Rush Limbaugh has made that statement. NONSENSE!

The last thing that we need is to replace the current Democrats we have in political positions around the country with Obama-lite Republicans. We have too many of those kinds of Republicans right now in Congress. Senators such as Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), John McCain (R-AZ), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), etc. are just a few examples of Obama-lite Republicans. What are Obama-lite Republicans? It's a term depicting Republicans to be very similar to Democrats in their political philosophy and actions. For the last fourteen or fifteen years the upper echelons in the Republican Party have been promoting this idea of a "big tent" in the Republican Party. This started after George H.W. Bush lost the presidential election to Bill Clinton in 1992. They claimed the Republican Party platform in 1992 was too conservative and it was alienating voters in the Republican Party. They were running on a party platform consisting of family values. Ever since Bush's loss in the election the Republican Party heads decided they needed to moderate their positions on abortion, gay rights, and other social conservative issues. They heads of the Republican Party failed to recognize it was Bush's abandonment on conservative values that cost him the election to Bill Clinton. Bush won on Reagan's coattails in 1988 and he proved to be nothing close to Ronald Reagan. He broke his "no-new taxes" pledges he made while campaigning in 1988. He wasn't much different from the Democrats except his pro-life position. I believe the American people are tired of Republicans that have nothing distinctly different to offer than the Democrats. That's what's scary about the Republicans right now. They have no agenda to counter Obama's. They need to challenge President Obama on his socialist positions and they need to offer their own agenda. That's what's needed if the Republicans are to take back Congress in 2010.

I am a conservative in orientation that believes in nationalism. I believe in supporting American values. I believe we should uphold the U.S. Constitution. That's what the Republican Party should be doing. The agenda that the Democrats uphold is anti-God, anti-America, and anti-family. The Republicans are trying to mirror themselves as Democrats except they're a little more to the right. That won't work. We don't need Republicans running for political offices next year that resemble the Democrats in their platform. They need to be polar opposites when it comes to the Democrats' agenda for America. We need patriots running for office that will stand against the move toward socialism America is headed. We need Republicans that are pro-life, pro-family, anti-illegal immigration, pro-limited government, etc. We need Republicans that believe in controlling spending and in re-negotiating the trade agreements that have shifted millions of American jobs overseas. We need Republicans that will have an agenda that if American soldiers go to war, then the soldiers will receive the equipment they need to fight the war and that the war won't last a day longer than it should. Those are the kind of Republicans we need. If not, then we don't need them to run. Some people believe it's wrong to vote for a third-party candidate. I have no issue voting for a third-party candidate. I did it in last year's election. I don't believe in being loyal to a political party that won't stand for what's right. The American public is tired of Obama-lite Republicans. That's why the Republicans lost in 2006 and 2008. If they want to win Congress and statewide races next year, then they'll have to adopt an agenda that's unique and distinctly nationalist and pro-America.