Friday, June 26, 2009

Hither and Thither — 6/26/09

One short stack, coming right up:
  • I think this nicely sums up a lot of the "reporting" this week:
  • Well, I'll be. Sometimes there s some justice. A Kansas teacher, seemingly dismissed for being too patriotic (and too conservative), is reinstated.
  • On Monday or Tuesday, I listened to a John Piper talk from the Resolved conference. I heard him say, "Sin makes you stupid." Then on Wednesday South Carolina governor Mark Sanford (GOP) admitted he'd spent his Father's Day weekend pursuing extramarital immorality. Sin makes you stupid.
  • Were Sanford a Democrat, this would be a career-enhancer. As it is, he is a Republican, so there should be a political price to pay. And this Brit correctly explains why Sanford must resign.
  • Oh, and btw, as we all quite correctly shake our heads and tsk! at Sanford's appalling, immoral idiocy, I say to us all: 1 Corinthians 10:12. The man did not wake up one day thinking, "You know, I think I'll betray every last person who has a shred of confidence in me, make nonsense of everything I've ever stood for, hurt everyone I love as well as people I've never met, and ruin not only my life and career but many others as well! Sounds like fun, let's go!" Reflect, and fear.
  • On the subject (sort of) of recently-observed Father's Day...
  • Another of Charismaticism's unpaid bills: how many things are wrong with this story? But here's the irony: the thing the media and world will think is most wrong is the only thing that isn't wrong. (See also here, and check the "church" web site... if you dare.)
  • CoE: since we can't offer the Gospel, let's give them...free beer, bacon rolls, and chocolate bars. Yep, friends. This is outreach, Anglican-style. Bring in the men — for beer!
  • Thank an Obama voter if an ACORN census taker threatens you with the law to force you to give out information — on yourself or others — that the federal government has no business whatever having (click, click, click, click). One quick, foolish choice; years of progress undone, freedoms harmed. (Thanks to Carlo for some of that documentation.)
  • Just amen, and duh.

  • And then there's (click to enlarge)...




37 comments:

John said...

your link in the item under the Luke & Leia cartoon is not available. So what's the story?

DJP said...

Well... it's a very sad story....

Scot said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Scot said...

I took Dan's dare and read the church's website...

Now, I'm going to go scoop out my brain with a rusty nail...

jefflo said...

On the last picture "please present your octopus":

Although awkward and "funny" at first glance, it's actually right. In Hong Kong, you can purchase a rechargeable "Octopus" card for use on the subway and buses. You can also use the card to buy things at many convenience stores.

They named it the Octopus (card) because it's everywhere! Kind of like how an octopus can branch out its tentacles in many different directions.

Read the wikipedia article if you want more information.

DJP said...

This blog is getting to be so educational I can barely contain myself.

Pick of homeschooling moms all over.

Thanks!

(c:

Anonymous said...

I pity the ACORN worker who knocks on MY door!

Since the Constitution authorizes an Enumeration I will report the number in my household and nothing else.

Trinian said...

Manifested Glory Ministries is poking me once again to compile a Prophecy Accountability database. How these people can get away with being dead wrong for so long and still have people listen to anything they say is boggling.

Gilbert said...

I know, in the wake of Michael Jackson's death, I wasn't in good taste by doing this...but when I saw that cartoon of how "news" reports celebrity deaths, I laughed louder and longer than I ever have reading this blog! Ay, the truth hurts, but it's sometimes so funny! Of course, being kind of a former "newsie" in the biz helps, because that hit home...watch for that to be exploited on "The Onion", eventually.


And who wants to be a fly on the wall when an ACORN dude tries to get down with Stan?

DJP said...

Trinian: because modern Charismaticism has Clintoned down prophecy, to accommodate their failure to produce the real article.

As I said: unpaid bill.

Fred Butler said...

and check the "church" web site... if you dare

Doesn't frame properly in Mozilla; colors of the flash animation induced a seizure.

David said...

If I got this right, should you refuse to answer the census, the fine is "not more than $100." Anyone unwilling to shell out $100 in the cause of liberty deserves none. My only regret (if it should come to that) will be lacking the means to challenge the fine.

DJP said...

But check the links I gave.

"Shelly Lowe, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Census Bureau, said Mrs. Bachmann is 'misreading' the law. She sent a portion of the U.S. legal code that says anyone over 18 years of age who refuses to answer 'any of the questions" on the census can be fined up to $5,000.'"

The Squirrel said...

"please present your octopus" to the Acorn census taker...


~Squirrel

Fred Butler said...

At the risk of receiving a severe wedgie from fellow commenters, I am at a loss as to the big deal with the census issue. Looking over that PDF file, I didn't see any more intrusive questions than what I remember on the 1990 census, or the 2000 census, etc. Educate me.

Paula said...

The "long form" includes such questions as what time you leave for work, how you heat your home, and how your children are educated.

I remember the last go-around with this in 2000 trying to figure out how to categorize our homeschooled kids, who did not fit neatly into any of the categories. As I recall, I reported having an 8-year-old who was not in school. At that point, I mailed it off and wondered if the truant officers were coming for us. Wasn't too happy about the whole thing then and less happy about it now, knowing that ACORN could have their slippery paws all over it.

P.D. Nelson said...

Your a cat man aren't you Dan? I knew there was something besides your acerbic wit and sound biblical exegesisI liked.

DJP said...

Afraid so. A convert.

Anonymous said...

Fred, The issue is Constitutional authority. The federal government is acting outside of their authority in this issue.

I CAN read and will not submit to this, or any other, federal code that is obviously contrary to the Constitution which is the (federal) law of the land.

CR said...

Fred,

The issue is the ACORN workers who will be participating in the census. As you may know, many of their workers pleaded guilty to voter fraud. What's to stop ACORN workers from taking my personal info and using that for some Indiana county voter registration roll?

I plan on obeying the civil magistrate on this issue and hesitantly (if I get visited by ACORN workers) and give them the information they want. But if they don't have this personal information, how does it limit their ability to carry out its constitutional requirement to do a Census?

But, Fred, why on earth does the census want to know if I have foster children? Why does it want to know if I have a mortgage or a loan?? It's very personal information and it could be used for fraud.

But that is one of the chief issues, Fred. We don't want to give our information to ACORN.

CR said...

Here's the challenge you're going to run into Stan. As you know, the Necessary and Proper Clause gives the federal government power to pass any federal laws for the execution of its express powers. The US code on offenses for not answering or refusing to answer questions on a census is one of the few federal laws that are in the books that gives Congress power to execute its express powers.

The issue is: how far can Congress go on these census forms to carry out its expressed power to do a census. Okay, it's the 21st century, fine, ask my race, no biggie. But, what are my commute miles? Do I have a mortgage? Do I have foster children?

Congress does have the right to pass federal laws to carry out its express powers. Penalizing people for stiffling Congress' ability to do the census is allowed.

I wish you and Congressman Bachman well wishes. Whether you succeed will depend on what judges hear your cases: strict or loose constructionists.

Herding Grasshoppers said...

Wow. Thanks! Now I know what to do with my octopus.

And... love that opening cartoon :0)

Julie

Mike Westfall said...

The reason all those probing questions are on the census is because various social engineering interests have convinced congress that they need statistics about all kinds of things, and the census is a convenient venue to gather such information. Yes, it's ridiculous, but 100 years from now, my great great grandkids will be overjoyed that they can look up how many bathrooms I had in my house, for example.

lee n. field said...

>Were Sanford a Democrat, this would be a career-enhancer.

"Thou hast said it."

I'm reminded of the congregational page scandal, back early in the Ronaldus Magnus years (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1983_Congressional_page_sex_scandal). Dan Crane (R., solid conservative), who was our rep at the time, goes back to obscurity as a dentist in Danville, IL. Gary Studds (Devilcrat) remains in Congress as a pest of the republic for another decade and a half.

DJP said...

Yep.

And then there was this guy — can't think of his name... was President after Reagan's successor... — who while on the job and at the workplace sexually exploited a functionary young enough to be his daughter, lied about it under oath, urged others to do the same... and (1) was kept in office at the price of his party's collective and individual soul, (2) was rewarded with another term even when this was known, and (3) remains a beloved figure. To them.

What was his name?

Never mind; don't really want it said.

Jay said...

I grew up around many Pentecostals of various ethnicity who underwent "exorcisms" on a regular basis. In fact, of the ones I can specifically remember: I knew one girl who underwent an exorcism for her "spirit of promiscuity," another who underwent one for her "spirit of obesity," and a guy who underwent one for his "spirit of rage."

The routine didn't really fail. After about two weeks of being "cleansed," the first girl still slept around, the second girl still overate like there was no tomorrow, and the guy was still getting suspended for starting fights in school. The only difference was they didn't have "demons" this time.

DJP said...

It is part of a mindset that afflicts many Pentecostals, Charismatics, dispensationalists (of the Keswick/Chafer school), and others. It is the idea that there is some snap-of-the-fingers measure to take that will give an instant bump in godliness. This group calls it the baptism of the Spirit, that one calls it consecration, the other calls it something else. It all boils down to instant measures; often resulting in a notion of two tiers of Christians. Something gives that instant upgrade.

Something other than Romans 8:13.

My book will actually deal with that, Lord willing.

DJP said...

John - interesting avatar for a Presby.

(c;

Jay said...

The exorcism actually reminds me of the video you posted not too long ago of the fellow who said he was "cured" of homosexuality outside a night club when a Christian laid hands on him and yelled, "Fire!" (I believe the Christian was part of the ministry that believes Isaiah 35:8 refers to US Interstate 35).

I believe that was shown on The 700 Club. A few months later, the young man was interviewed for The Dallas Voice and said that his religious conversion hadn't stuck and he was back to his old ways.

Imagine that. Putting your hands on someone's face and screaming "Fire!" doesn't stick.

DJP said...

Yes; perhaps we'll just have to cross that off of our "Ways To Minister To Others" list.

Michelle said...

Governor Sanford said "it began innocently". He counseled his future lover not to leave her husband and it developed from there with e-mails back and forth.

This is a reminder to, above all else, guard our hearts (Proverbs 4:23). A wake-up call to stay accountable and to never discuss intimate relational issues, or anything that we don't feel comfortable discussing openly and immediately with our spouse, with someone of the opposite sex.

Fred Butler said...

CR,
What i saw on that PDF was just generic number information. How many live in your house hold, etc. The additional stuff wasn't linked. If what you all are saying is true, that they want to have all this deeper personal information, then such is truly troubling. It makes me wonder if enough of a problem is made of this, if it will be scratched off.

Mike Westfall said...

> Putting your hands on someone's
> face and screaming "Fire!" doesn't
> stick.

Might have had better luck if they did this exorcism inside a crowded theater.

Aaron said...

I think one of the articles said it was his second exorcism. IF they didn't get it the first time, shouldn't they at least consider that they aren't doing it right?

CR: Usually citizens receive the census by mail and only get a personal visit if they don't return it. If they do visit, I'm sure there is an option to fill out the form and send it directly to the census bureau, thereby, avoiding Acorn.

As far as Sanford: Proverbs 6:13 comes to mind. This is why I read Proverbs over and over and over again. You simply cannot over memorize the passages about adultery, because she can be quite tempting.

Absolutely love the carnivore picture.

Herding Grasshoppers said...

a Christian laid hands on him and yelled, "Fire!"

Was that part of the Ignatius ministry?

;0)

CR said...

This whole Sanford thing and my Bible reading today reminded me of a few things.

Conservatives have offered some pretty good reasons why state-run media, liberals and intellectuals hate Gov. Palin. I mean, these people absolutely despise her. I have friends who have said, "I don't know why, but I can't stand her."

Proverbs reminds me that an unjust man is an abomination to the righteous but that one whose way is straight is an abomination to the wicked. This really helps me understand why many adore President Obama and despise Gov. Palin. It's because they are wicked people and it answers a lot of "why" questions for me.

Gov. Palin is certainly and definitely imperfect, but a decent woman who loves the Lord and just as the Bible reminds us to pray for our church leaders because Satan is like a lion roaring to devour men in leadership, I think the same goes for our political leaders and I think we need to be continuing to pray for political leaders like Palin. So many of our political leaders are so wicked it's easy to neglect to be praying for others that are righteous.

I do not know Gov. Sanford's spiritual state but his wife appears to be Christian. We need to be praying for Christian political leaders because they are far and few between and Satan would like nothing more than to devour them also.

Rocky2 said...

MICHAEL THE NARC-ANGEL

Millions of little members of the worldwide F.F.A. (Future Followers of the Antichrist) have finally learned how to find a certain part of their lower anatomy and quickly touch it while dancing - thanks to Michael Jackson, the highest paid Lower Anatomy Toucher of all time! Special thanks also go to the Jesus-bashing, Hell-bound Hollywood moguls who were just as quick to see higher profits in lower anatomies! [Just saw this opinion on the web. Other grabby items on MSN, Google, etc. include "Separation of Raunch and State," "David Letterman's Hate, Etc.," "Tribulation Index becomes Rapture Index," and "Bible Verses Obama Avoids." - something for everyone!]