This short video (Porcelain Unicorn) was the grand prize winner in a global filmmaking competition called “Tell It Your Way”.
Entrants were restricted by only two rules: 1.) the film could be no longer than three minutes and; 2.) dialogue was limited to just six lines. Powerful message:
A glimmer of human kindness amidst inhumanity…
A spark of the divine.
Well this is certainly perplexing.
According to a CNS News report last Thursday, Belief in Bible Climbed as Employment Declined, Say Gallup and Labor Dept. Data
This May—three years after Bible belief hit its all-time low and skepticism its all-time high in Gallup polling, and with unemployment having climbed to 9.1 percent—a combined 79 percent of Americans told Gallup they believe the Bible was the actual or inspired word of God, while only 17 percent said it was a book of fables, legends, history and moral precepts recorded by man.
I guess on the surface this uptick isn’t that puzzling, human nature being what it is. As they say “There are no atheists in foxholes”. When the good times are rolling we “roll” away from God. But when the bad times hit, we tend to “roll” back.
What’s perplexing is the disconnect. The survey results just beg so many questions. Here are a couple:
• Have Bible believers actually read the Book?
• Do we believe, but just choose to ignore God’s word (until we’re at death’s door)?
• If almost 80% of Americans actually believe in the Bible why are we losing the country?
• Do any of the believers live in Washington D.C.? 🙄 (Sorry – a little levity.)
• Do we believe but just aren’t willing to live as if we do?
Praise God, a handful of early Christians, alight with the Holy Spirit, transformed not just Rome, but the entire world. And here we are 2000 years later, some 245 million U.S. believers (if the polling is even close), doing what?
If we really are still a fundamentally Christian nation, we need to start acting like it.
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Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. ~ James 2:17
The MainStreamMedia continues to be afflicted with BDS (was Bush Derangement Syndrome) – only now the “B” stands for Bachmann. A major symptom of the malady is the inability of the sufferer to focus on anything other than the object of their obsession. Andrew Klavan illustrates:
Love Obama’s golf togs!
Random links of interest, concern or curiosity from the past week or so, that deserve at least a SHORT mention:
Christians Against Israel ~ Because, you know, the growing persecution of Christians in the Middle East is the fault of…get ready for it…Israel. Message to real Christians: avoid the World Council of Churches like the plague!
Ultimately, the aim of groups like the World Council of Churches is not biblical, it’s not even about genuine social justice. Whether they know it or not, whether they accept it or not, their agenda is about advancing the cause of Islam and reversing what God is doing in this land (Israel).
New Research Shows That Humans Don’t Need 8 Glasses Of Water A Day ~ C’mon, you knew it was a scam.
Orlando Church Raises Unprecedented $5.6 Million to Aid Poor and Homeless Families ~ A much better story out of Orlando than the Casey Anthony circus.
First Baptist Church of Orlando has made it clear that its ministry will be well thought through and meticulously planned. The overall goal seems to be helping people out of poverty rather than simply providing short-term relief (though projects address both immediate and long-term needs).
Judicial Watch confirms extensive anti-Fox News bias in Obama WH ~ Well color me shocked.
Shame on the Politically Motivated McConnell Plan to Hike Borrowing With No Spending Cuts ~ Actually the longer this debt ceiling fiasco drags on, the more difficult it is to figure out the who-what-why?! Maybe total confusion is the goal – part of their “bipartisan” plan…?
The only thing we can “bank on” at this point is that the biggest loser will once again be We the American taxpayer. While the depressing national debt clock runs on… 🙁
Well now I can officially say “I’ve been to Hell and back”. Spent a couple hours with the “Big B” last night at an Americans for Prosperity “Running on Empty” rally in Hell, Michigan. The temperature was in the comfortable high 70’s and the pizza, ice cream – and entertainment – were free. 🙂
Elvis oldies – and lots of talent -from these 2 little dudes!
The various speakers (AFP reps, average citizens and Thayrone X – from WAAM-1600) reminded us of the serious damage the federal government is doing to the U.S. economy with their nefarious “Empty Tank Polices”.
When President Obama took office in 2009 gas prices were just over $1.80/gallon. What are you paying now?!
Rather than “Drill Here! Drill Now!” all the government seems able to do is invent new ways to make taxpayers foot the bill for technology that has little chance of succeeding. They’re outlawing the use our own natural resources while forcing us to pay for inefficient alternative energy.
From “The Green Economy Withers” at Investors.Com:
Green jobs were supposed to be our salvation, both for the earth and for the economy, according to the Obama administration. White House policy based on this flawed premise led to offshore and onshore drilling bans and the locking-up of energy-rich lands while huge alternative energy subsidies (aka “investments”) found their way into the stimulus and other legislation…
…A 2008 report by the Energy Department’s Energy Information Administration reported that in 2007, while the average subsidy per megawatt hour for all energy sources was $1.65, the subsidy for wind and solar was about $24 per megawatt hour. On the nonelectricity generating side, ethanol received a subsidy of $5.72 per million British thermal unit.
Check out the full article here.
The main take-away from the rally was the importance of getting the message out. So many Americans are suffering through this equal misery for all without understanding that it’s a direct result of Washington’s economy-killing energy policy:
It is based not on the free market and supply and demand, but on ideology and crony capitalism. Energy prices then “necessarily skyrocket,” causing job loss and consumer pain as money that might be spent to buy stuff goes just to keep the lights on.
So – calmly and intelligently – we need to start educating others about the facts. Isn’t the risk of alienating a few (irrational) friends and family worth it – if we can save the country?
Our local version of Hell is just a nice little spot (not even a traffic light!) amid the rolling green hills of south-central Michigan. It’s much preferable to the economic hell the Obama administration is putting us through with their irresponsible energy policies.
Resources:
Americans for Prosperity ~ National site with links to individual state organizations
Heritage Network’s “The Foundry” ~ Lot’s of energy related facts, figures and info
Being rather night-owlish, I’m frequently tuned into the first couple of hours of the Midnight Trucking Network – a radio show out of Dallas-Ft.Worth. You definitely don’t have to be a trucker to enjoy listening to the conservative hosts; Gary McNamara and Eric Harley, who regularly share political commentary. One of their trademark sayings about the Left, the main stream media and sometimes just politicians in general, is “They think you’re stupid”.
Too true. Considering the way they usually talk down to us, the “elite” believe that regular Americans are much too dim-witted to grasp the intricacies of international relations, economics, taxes and budgets – let alone the nuanced complexities of the nation’s debt limit. So we must be taught how to “feel” about any given issue – never confused with the facts. Here’s a perfect example at CNS News:
White House: “Americans Don’t Have a Lot of Time to Focus on ‘What is a Debt Ceiling?’”
White House spokesman Jay Carney said the reason the White House has not explained in detail to the American people what might happen if the federal debt ceiling is not raised is because the administration expects the increase to occur, adding that the public does not have a lot of time to focus on and understand the issue.
Carney: “I think it’s easy to understand [it’s “easy” – so if you don’t agree with me, you’re a dummy]
why most Americans don’t have a lot of time [except the millions of unemployed who have nothing but time]
to focus on ‘What is a debt ceiling?’ [duh – it’s the same thing as the limit on their credit card]
I mean, honestly [honestly?], did anybody in this room – before they had to cover issues like this – have any idea what a debt ceiling was? [Why not? They’re the “elite” aren’t they?]
Any understanding of the fact [fact?!] that a vote by Congress to increase our ability to borrow was simply [simply? Sheesh!] a vote to allow the United States of America to pay the bills it incurred in the past?” [What’s the big deal? Just push this baby up into the stratosphere. No need for any considerations/discussions about the disastrous implications of driving the country into bankruptcy.]
Yes – see how easy and honest and simple the road to serfdom is?
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Um, excuse me Jay…we’re stupid???
No Barry, Lower.
The debt ceiling, taxes, the size of government – and umbrellas!
Taking it to “the One”. New video from Joe Walsh (R-IL):
He could use a new sound engineer – you have to crank up the volume –
but otherwise great job!
Have you no shame sir?
Quit lying to the American people!
Lead for a change.
WooHoo! 🙂
Apparently, given the choice, the ever “tolerant” leftists among us would really like to silence conservative voices:
Printers’ Row Literary Festival ~ Chicago, IL ~ June 2011
Video: rebelpundit
The final results:
Sarah Palin ~ 36%
Glenn Beck ~ 23%
Ann Coulter ~ 22%
Adolf Hitler ~ .5%
Ayn Rand ~ .4%
Michael Moore ~ .3%
Andrew Breitbart ~ .2%
Bill Clinton ~ .2%
Barack Obama ~ .2%
Michael Savage ~ 0%
Wouldn’t it be a hoot to see how many in the crowd actually took a “liberal” position and said they were against banning any books?
😆
(And Adam was an easily duped Conservative.)
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Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will surely not die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
~ Genesis 3:4-5 ~
And the woman said “I can be as smart as God?
And make my own rules?
Sounds like a plan!”
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This tempting philosophy is known today as Libertarianism, where man sets himself up as the final arbiter of good and evil. And it never ends well, as even a cursory glance at history illustrates. Appealing to each individual’s desire for personal autonomy, in the end, it just opens the door to despotism.
If everyone lives by their own standards of right and wrong we’ll end up with anarchy. And if we throw God’s laws away then who gets to make up the new ones? History’s answer is that the final arbiter is whoever seizes the power to make the rules. Like Hitler. Or Stalin. Or Mao. Or Kim Jong-Il.
Which is why Ayn Rand, hero of the Libertarians, is considered an Architect of the Culture of Death by authors De Marco and Wiker. Rand’s objectivism is a philosophy that is centered exclusively on the individual. She “was concerned with nothing more than herself. As a consequence, truth dissolved into private convenience.”
Actually Leftists, who seem bent on destroying the country, are just Libertarians who’ve evolved to the point where they feel the need to impose their “truth” on the rest of society. And it always starts with my rules – not God’s. Star Parker illustrates this point nicely in her July 11th article at Townhall: A Few Rich Libertarians Help Undermine Freedom:
Their willingness to dismiss the meaning and relevance of a pillar of traditional values – marriage – makes clear that in no way do they see our free nation rooted in God-given truths. They must opt, then, for the only other alternative. Human design. They’ll decide what is relevant and not, what is true and false.
So despite talk about freedom, they share an awful lot of common ground with socialists. They think they’re clever enough to understand the whole world and design how we should live. They depart from socialists in their formula, not in their approach.
Certainly, when John Adams talked about a nation of “laws and not men,” he was thinking about the importance in a free nation to have law grounded in truth, shielding citizens from capricious rule.
Jonas Clark (The Warring Nature of Man and State – For you shall be as gods) explains what happens to society when we exchange individual truth for God’s Truth:
Because man wants to be a god, determining good and evil for themselves, lawlessness in society increases as the god-man rebels against the “rule of law”. The state, moreover, clashes with all others because it considers itself as ruler over man. These eventually clash with each other in a constant warfare for dominion. The quest for power by the self-determined god-man and the self-determined god-state lead to a secular humanistic society depraved of moral absolutes that over time destroys itself. This has been the pattern for thousands of years as nations rise and fall and shift in power.
And, as the pattern repeats, the Libertarians among us are helping to accelerate America’s fall.
Well, now that a Texas judge has criminalized spanking ~
“You don’t spank children today,” District Court Judge Jose Longoria told a Texas mother of three in court. “In the old days, maybe we got spanked, but there was a different quarrel. You don’t spank children. You understand?”
~ we can expect a recent cultural trend in Great Britain to make it’s way across the pond shortly; Rise of the violent ‘Little Emperors’: Children lashing out at parents to get own way.
While corporal punishment can be emotionally damaging, especially in older children, a well-timed smack on the tush can work wonders with a misbehaving toddler. Children do not come with innate self-control, they depend on the adults in their their lives to help them develop it. If the adults abdicate that responsibility, or if the state won’t allow them them to exercise that responsibility, you get (surprise – surprise) out-of-control children ~
The ‘little emperors’ of this ‘spoilt generation’ lash out both at home – particularly at mothers who stand in their way – and school or even nursery.
Experts have blamed the decline in respect for authority on a lack of clear parental boundaries and rules, as well as an emphasis on children’s rights…
…Parent abuse and parent battery appear to be on the rise and what seems to underlie this is to do with parenting, the lack of boundaries and the reversal of authority….
…It’s the extreme end of the spoilt generation where they actually lash out at parents, almost exclusively their mothers. There’s a lack of impulse control, demands for instant gratification and not accepting deferred gratification.
Just what American society needs more of – wild kids.
And don’t we already have our own “Little Emperor”?
We the people are the rightful masters of both Congress and the courts, not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who pervert the Constitution. ~ Abraham Lincoln ~
Robert Knight had a great piece in the Washington Times last Friday: Obama’s assault on the rule of law. In it, Knight re-caps the various ways in which the current administration has subverted the Constitution and perverted the rule of law.
The list isn’t a complete shock to those of us who have been watching this tyranny play out with anger and disgust over the last 2½ years, but taken in total, this collection of abuses should outrage the rest of the populace as well.
We are in real danger of losing our Constitution for good unless, as Knight says:
We the People begin to apply it to hold the Obama administration and its toadies accountable for unleashing legal and fiscal anarchy on our country.
I suggest everyone print copies of Knight’s article and mail them to your favorite sheeple. High time they started waking up!
Random links of interest, concern or curiosity from the past week or so, that deserve at least a SHORT mention:
Religious Fanatics? What About Secular Fanatics? ~ Good post about the totalitarian tendencies of the Secular Left ~ “Secular fanatics are much the same the world over, whether they were communist bureaucrats in Russia or liberal pundits in America. They insist that in order to advance in your career, you must proclaim their beliefs – and no others.”
New Transformers Flick Costs Each Michigan Taxpayer $1.36 ~ Like the new Transformers movie? Thank a Michigander. (Just doing our part to help Hollywood through the recession.) 🙂
Prayers Are Uttered in Outer Space, Too ~ Uh-oh – Isn’t that against the law or something? No wonder the Obama administration is defunding NASA’s Shuttle Program.
Rep. Ryan Challenges Obama to Debt Debate ~ Never happen – but would this be great or what?!
Absolute Michigan ~ Looking for something fun to do this summer? Check out Absolute Michigan: “All Michigan, All the Time” – a collection of links, features, news and information about the state of Michigan made better every day by real folks.
Spectacular Time-Lapse Video of Australian Night Sky ~ Sparkly stars – very cool.
Copyright © Designs on the Truth ~ Anno Domini MMXI-MMXIX