Officially Orthodox

I am now offically Orthodox! I was baptized on May 31, 2008. It was an absolutely wonderful experience. Once I was immersed, I left behind the old things weighing me down spiritually and experienced a new rebirth into Christ. Not only do I have a new family here on Earth, but in the Heavens as well, with the communion of all the saints. This is what I talk about when I say to those that are thinking of giving up God, "Don't do it yet."

I offer prayers for those who have not yet been introduced to this rich, full and complete expression of the Christian faith, and that Orthodoxy will continue to grow in numbers in the United States. She has overcome many obstacles over the last 2,000 years, so the track record has withstood the test.

In the name of the Father, Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Persecution of Christians

I'm sure that opponents will say the following videos are completely unfounded and incorrect, full of propaganda, biased, whatever. I say they are not, and anyone who cannot see the atrocities suffered by innocent followers of Jesus is likely blinded by the anti-Christian movement, otherwise disguised as "anti-religion."
I've also included some about persecution of Christians by sects of violent Islam and one from a Hindu organization. (Notice I did NOT say "all Muslims" or "all Hindus.")
This is an alarming trend and people need to wake up and see it for what it is and stop twisting and spinning the issues. Believe it or not, there are people out there claiming to be full of logic and reason yet deny the fact that Christians are still being persecuted and killed for their beliefs. They say "Oh that hasn't happened since Roman times." Wrong again.

First up, North Korea I and II:






Russia



China:



Pakistan:



Iraq:



Egypt:



Vietnam:



And here's a video of radical Hindus attacking a Christian. Most Hindus are peaceful for the most part. But I've never been to India so I can't make the claim 100%. Unfortunately in India there is a caste system and if you aren't high enough you're not even worthy in God's eyes, according to the radicals. So why do they care about a few converting? Those in radical dominant power do not want these Indians to feel empowered by anything. They want to keep them under their boots:



I found a whole series on youtube dedicated to persecution of Chinese Christians by their atheist government. Should I go on?

Religion and intelligence

11 year old Akshay Rajagopal of Nebraska won the NatGeo top prize in the geography bee today.

From Cbsnews.com:

Cochabamba is the third-largest conurbation in what country?

Your answer might be, "Huh?" But 11-year-old Akshay Rajagopal answered "Bolivia" to clinch the 20th annual National Geographic Bee on Wednesday.

A conurbation is a large, densely populated urban area - and Cochabamba is the third-largest one in the South American country.

Akshay's correct answer capped a two-day event in which he got every question right. A sixth-grader at Lux Middle School in Lincoln, Neb., he won a $25,000 scholarship.

Along the way, Akshay answered questions that included the westernmost Asian national capital (Ankara in Turkey), the country where Makossa is a popular type of music (Cameroon), and the location of Tillya Tepe (it's in Afghanistan).

"Some of them were hard but others were OK," Akshay said as he held an oversized check. "I think I was just lucky."

As he blitzed the competition, his family looked on from the front of the auditorium at the National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington. He boned up for several months by studying geography DVDs and textbooks.

"He's been interested in geography since he was 5," said his mother, Suchitra Srinivas.

"It was just sheer elation," Vijay Rajagopal, told CBS New correspondent Thalia Assuras about how he was feeling after his son's triumph. "Pure joy, I guess... being very proud."

One student from every U.S. state and territory, along with a student from a military family, took part in the competition run by National Geographic. Akshay was the youngest of the 10 finalists, all boys.

"Jeopardy!" host Alex Trebek, who has moderated the bee for all 20 years, called it the "national annual humiliation," exposing that a group of middle schoolers has vastly more knowledge of geography than most of the nation.



Okay, so I'm going to make an assumption that this kid might be Hindu. That means he would be a religious person. Now I could be wrong about this. He might be from an atheist family. But let's just say for argument's sake that he is religious. That would make him one very smart Hindu boy.

The establishment today wants the world to embrace this idea that people with religious backgrounds are somehow less intelligent than "freethinkers" or basically those that have "woken up and let go of all of their religious crutches."

Many of the great atheist thinkers quoted and promoted today are white Americans or Europeans. I know there are many that are not, but the big ones promoted today are. Just look at this video on youtube to see my point. It won an award from Harvard and received praise from their scholars:



(If you go to the youtube website and look in the description box for this video, the creator has admitted that some of the individuals he featured he later found out are not atheists. He has not corrected the video and reloaded it, and it doesn't appear that anyone from Harvard will be challenging him to do so.)

When I did work study for the University way back when as an undergrad, I had the opportunity to fit caps and gowns for the PhD and JD candidates during a spring semester. Now the majority of those graduates were of Indian and Middle Eastern descent. Let's also just say for argument's sake that many of these people were Muslim or Hindu as well. I'm not basing any of this blog entry on any actual data, it's all just speculation, so please keep this in mind.

When asked directly, I've been told by some atheists that all humans evolved equally despite many comments to the contrary. It seems to me then, based on what I've been told, that they would accept most other humans, even religious ones, no matter what deity (s) they worship, as highly intelligent and capable of reason, logic and advanced critical thinking.

But I'm not a smart atheist, so I could be completely wrong on this.

However, I'm still left with a dilemma. Even after they admit that we have evolved equally, many still say that religion is a crutch, that we're hurting society and holding everyone back with our intellectual stupidity. Just look within society to see the proof. So which viewpoint is the correct one? I guess some clarification is necessary to distinguish which category those of us that are religious fall into, the plain delusional and stupid category or the intelligent and respectful category. (I think it ultimately depends on which religion you follow and the one they are most comfortable with you belonging to.)

I'm very, very confused on this. Maybe someone can explain it to me.

On the surface, it appears that in their blind glee to rid the world of Christianity, atheists are "forgetting" about the intelligent Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists out there that are also devoutly religious. I also make another observation. They quote a lot of elitist white Americans and Europeans for their cause without giving any credit to multi-national thinkers, according to the above video that has won an award from Harvard University.

It just seems flawed on all sides to me.

The Club of Rome

Recently I found some interesting information about an organization called "The Club of Rome." They are made up of an Anglo and European elitist "think tank" that basically decide what the crisis du jour will be for the world. I find this disturbing.

http://www.clubofrome.org/about/index.php

And then I came across a youtube video about them. Now keep in mind that some of the information in the video "could be" taken out of context from their publications so please keep an open mind about that. But you can connect the dots.

The ugliest fashion statement ever

Okay, this post is just poking fun at a rival school. No harm or slander intended. I've always had respect for the UT band. Seriously. We used to have little "playoffs" with them on the sidelines before the OU/Texas games. We were never mean spirited or low class to each other, so it was all cool.
But come on, watch this video and then honestly say tell me it isn't just the ugliest thing you've ever seen. ROFL

RIC RAC FTW!!!




Here's a dandy clip from 1986 when I was in the Pride. Ahhh...the good old days.

Professors denied tenure

ISU professor Guillermo Gonzalez was denied tenure last year, amid serious speculations about his publications regarding ID. The following article is pretty interesting. I found it on WCFCourier.com

Tuesday, May 15, 2007 4:05 AM CDT
Intelligent design advocate denied tenure at ISU
By NAFEESA SYEED, Associated Press Writer
DES MOINES (AP) --- Iowa State University has denied tenure to an assistant professor who has been outspoken in his views on intelligent design, prompting one group to claim he's being punished because of his views.

Guillermo Gonzalez, an assistant professor of physics and astronomy, filed an appeal of the tenure denial last week. Iowa State President Gregory Geoffroy had rejected Gonzalez's request in April.
Neither university officials nor Gonzalez would say Monday whether the tenure denial was due to his views on intelligent design. The theory holds that the universe and living things are so finely tuned and complex, they must have been designed by a supreme, intelligent force.

Gonzalez noted, however, that he has frequently been criticized by people who don't consider intelligent design as a legitimate science.

He is known for his support of the theory because he co-authored a book, "The Privileged Planet: How Our Place in the Cosmos is Designed for Discovery." The book has been embraced by many religious conservatives and was the source for a namesake documentary about intelligent design.

Two years ago, he was the unnamed target of a petition signed by more than 120 ISU faculty renouncing intelligent design as legitimate science.

"I knew it would be controversial, but I didn't expect this level of opposition," Gonzalez said. "I recognize it's a minority position, but that doesn't mean it's wrong."

Although Gonzalez won't discuss the reasons for the tenure denial, a Seattle-based think tank has blamed his belief in intelligent design. The group, the Discovery Institute, includes Gonzalez as a senior fellow.

"We've seen in the past couple years, a ratcheting up (in the) targeting of scientists and students who express skepticism toward neo-Darwinism or support for intelligent design," said John West, associate director of the Institute's Center for Science and Culture.

West said the climate is more reminiscent of Cuba, where Gonzalez fled as a child in the late 1960s.

"You get the same sort of doctrinal litmus test you'd expect in some place like Cuba, not Iowa," West said. "If the situation is so intolerant at American universities that a top-notched scholar cannot get tenure because he believes there is empirical evidence for design in the universe, Americans need to be questioning, 'Is this America?"'

ISU spokesman John McCarroll said Geoffroy has until June 6 to decide on Gonzalez's appeal.

Tenure-track professors are on a probation until their seventh year, when they're eligible to apply for a permanent position.

"Tenure is taken very, very seriously," McCarroll said. "You're basically granting a lifetime appointment. You're making a commitment to the individual on behalf of the university and the state of Iowa."

He said tenure requests go through multiple steps in the review process -- faculty in an individual's department, the department chair, the college dean, the executive vice president, the provost and finally the president. They consider candidates' research, publishing and teaching record as well as their ability to generate funding.

"Dr. Gonzalez was denied at every step," McCarroll said. "The process does allow for Dr. Gonzalez to appeal that right back to the president."

Gonzalez said he's "very openly a Christian," but his theory isn't contingent on believing in a higher being or the supernatural.

"It doesn't prove God and it doesn't start with God, either," he said. "But some of the intelligent design research can have positive religious confirmation -- that's why it angers atheists."

Gonzalez maintains he's never taught intelligent design in the classroom. He said his work on the subject is limited to his book and some lectures he's given on the topic away from the university.

Gonzalez co-authored a college-level astronomy textbook published by Cambridge University Press last year and has had articles on subjects unrelated to intelligent design appear in publications such as Science, Nature and Scientific American.

"None of my (68) published papers are about intelligent design," he said.

Gonzalez said he'd like to remain at Iowa State.

"It's kind of stressful," he said. "All I can do is wait."


Then I came across a pdf file under evolutionnews.org detailing evidence that his suspicions were correct and that the actions of the University were indeed deplorable.

http://www.evolutionnews.org/ID_was_the_Issue_Gonzalez_Tenure.pdf


Now I'm just speculating here, but I just bet that opponents will read this and probably say, "Nope, it's not true. They fabricated the whole thing, and you're an idiot for believing it. There's no way a University would do that. They have integrity."

Try telling that to Dr. Gonzalez and the many more educators that lose their jobs over this thing.
The reason so many people are angry about "Expelled" is because it exposes the truth about what is happening to these people, and "the establishment" will do and say everything they have to in order to trash it and Ben Stein, and throw it all into the garbage. (I'm sure that's where they think it belongs.) Another reason to question their motives. If it wasn't true, there'd be no need to expose it, and if creationism wasn't such a huge "threat" to academia and science they'd just blow it off and go on about their business.

My Survivor's Story

This is the original unedited version of my version of the Oklahoma City Bombing (as it happened to me) posted at the Oklahoma City National Memorial Archives. I just came across it and want to preserve it on my blog. I wrote this in 2000, so please excuse the grammatical errors.


A Survivor's Story

by SThomas
Bilingual Service Representative, Social Security Administration
Originally written Spring 2000

Wednesday, April 19, 1995 started out like any other workday. I drove my usual route from Norman to the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City via Interstate 35. I arrived at the entrance to the building's parking garage at about 8am, and saw one of my co-workers there, Rex Irwin, taking a smoke break. I waved at him and drove into the garage. I then drove down about 2 levels to the parking spot C38. I still remember it.
When I got out of my car, another co-worker's car pulled up beside mine. His name was Raymond Johnson, volunteer from Indian Services. I said good morning to him and walked to the elevator. I rode it to street level. When I got out, another Social Security employee, Chris Torres, was leaving the building. She was headed towards the elevator. She said she did not feel well and was going home. I told her I hoped she felt better, and then I went into the back door to my office. My supervisor Carol Bowers greeted me. She smiled and said good morning. I signed in on the timesheet and went to my desk. I remember asking her some questions about an item I needed help with, and her phone interrupted us. She asked me if I could come back in the afternoon and we could go over it. I said yes and went back to my desk. On my computer was a note from the assistant manager Dennis Purifoy stating that he wanted to meet with all of the bilingual employees at 8:30am to clean out some outdated Spanish forms we no longer needed. We were installing new employee bathrooms at the time in one corner of the stockroom and needed more space.
I remember seeing Sharon Littlejohn, another service rep, come and place her jacket over her chair and walk away. We passed each other and she said good morning to me as I sat down.
Since I knew I had limited time before I had to meet with Dennis, I decided to finish up some Social Security card applications from the previous day. My desk was right up front by the large glass windows facing 5th street. I could see outside, but I do not remember seeing a Yellow Ryder truck pull up to the building.
I looked up at the clock. It was 8:30.
When I got to the stockroom, which was not far from the front of the building, I met with Dennis, Gina Hernandez, Tillie Lerma, and Julie Welch. We were the only bilingual employees in the office, except for Chris Torres, who had left early. Dennis showed us a cabinet full of forms that he thought we should all go through and throw out. He brought us a big garbage can and left us to our work. We started sifting through old forms, leaflets that were outdated, and some other miscellaneous items. We cleaned out as much as we could. At this time we were standing directly underneath a skylight. It was getting close to 9am. I remembered some forms in the back part of the stockroom and told them we should go through those too. We walked to the back where there was no skylight. As we started to go through those forms, Julie said she had to leave to get her 9:00am appointment. It was her first Spanish disability interview. That left Gina, Tillie and me. Gina at the time was a teleservice representative, and worked in the back of the office. So did Tillie. I was assigned to work reception, which was up front. At 9:01 am I said, "I need to go up front." Tillie said, "We don't know when we will get a chance to do this again, so let's get it done. We're almost there."I said, "Okay."
I had in my hands a stack of forms that I started to place on the shelf above me, and suddenly everything went black. A very, very strong force knocked the three of us to the floor. Boxes fell. Shelving crushed around us. I felt a vacuum of air that was very unfamiliar and frightening. I remember holding onto the white wooden cabinet in front of me as it wobbled and shook. Things were falling all around us, hitting our heads, legs...
Then it got really quiet. I think the three of us were so stunned we couldn?t speak. We reached around in desperation for each other's hands, shouting in scared and alarmed voices. Once we knew we were all okay, one of us asked where Julie was. I don't remember which one it was. We were quite disoriented about this time. Nobody was coming. I thought, "Well certainly somebody knows we're back here and will dig us out." We just kept gripping hands. I could not see a damn thing in front of me, let alone my friends' faces.
I thought it was just us that were buried. I tried, as my adrenaline started to flow, to be rational about this. "Okay, we're stuck back here and nobody's coming," I told myself. I thought about the other service representatives and why they and Carol Bowers weren't coming to find us. I tried so hard to keep everything in perspective and not to panic. But when about ten minutes or so passed with no response I started getting really worried. Tillie was sandwiched in between two metal file cabinets and said she was getting sore. Gina didn't say much, she just gripped my hand. I could tell she was very scared by the way she was shaking. At this point I was not even thinking about my own injuries or myself. I was worried about Gina and Tillie. I was crunched in a strange position also, but I could feel no pain.
I heard the voice of a man above us yelling something to somebody about the electrical wires and not to touch any. Then I heard something about the second floor caving in, then something about it being a gas explosion. Tillie whispered in a halfway joking tone, "No it's probably those bathrooms they installed. They probably didn't put them in right." We had a little laugh. I remember squeezing Gina's hand again in humor. She was not talking much.
Then we started to yell for help. We couldn't just sit there and breathe in this insulation and be crunched in these uncomfortable positions any longer. We had work to do. There were claimants waiting to be serviced.
We were about to find out that this was not the case.
We saw a flashlight in the dark. We yelled to whoever it was. Then we heard familiar voices. It was Dennis Purifoy and Dan Demoss, a Title XVI claims representative. They said all the power was out and that the office was destroyed. They and Richard Dean, a Title II claims representative, were digging through the rubble looking for everybody. Dan helped us crawl up and out of the hole we were buried in. We ended up sitting on top of a pile about 15 feet or so high of debris, right where the skylight had been. I just stared in shock and tried to get a perspective on my surroundings and stay calm. There was no office, just rubble. Why were there no more than just the few of us sitting here? I wondered.
Dan was bleeding. He said he had glass in his ear. His glasses were gone. Dennis left us with Dan and went to look for more employees. We could see up through the skylight but it was so high we knew we couldn't climb out on our own. I don't remember all that was said, but when I tried to stand up Dan moved me back real quick. A computer monitor landed right in front of me. It had fallen from an upper floor. Had it hit me it probably would have killed me. I looked up. I could see through all the floors. We were at the back of the building right by the plaza. I saw a woman lying nearby. I couldn't recognize her. I asked Dan who it was. He told me it was Carol Bowers. My heart sank. It didn't register how serious her injuries were. She was covered in blood and looked as if something had hit her in the head. She was trying to breathe and reach to Dan. Tillie had lost her glasses and couldn't see. She was feeling around for anything to hold on to. Finally somebody tried to lower a ladder from the children's playground down to us. It wasn't long enough. I immediately thought, "There is no way in hell we are getting out of here."
After about 15-20 minutes or so a fireman lowered another ladder down. This one was long enough. Dan helped the three of us onto the ladder to climb out. He said he'd be along as soon as they got somebody for Carol. When we reached the top the fireman carried us out one at a time. When we were out of the building we were very emotional, because at this time we could see helicopters flying around and yellow police tape going up around all the perimeters of the plaza. An Asian woman came up to us and asked us if we had seen her baby. We hadn't. I will never forget the look of horror on her face.
I knew I would need to contact my family. I looked around to see where we might go to use a phone. There was a bank on the east side of the building so we headed there. I was shivering.
The bank's plate glass window was gone, and I yelled through the opening and asked if there was a phone we could use. The lady said yes but she didn't know how long it would work. The lines were jamming up. We walked through the bank's empty window and I picked up the phone. It was busy. I waited and tried again. First I called my brother. I knew he would be close to downtown and could somehow get to me even if it wouldn't be until the afternoon. There was no answer. I left a message. Then I called my dad. I knew he would be home and would have the TV on. I didn't want him to worry. When he picked up the phone and knew it was my voice I thought he was going to collapse. I told him the lines were jamming up and to keep trying to get in touch with my brother so he could come to get me. My fiancé was in Norman and I knew there was no way he would get to me since I figured the highways and streets would be blocked off soon, so I called him last. He worked nights and was not up yet so I left him a message. Somehow I just knew that by the time he got up he would know I was ok and would not panic. Little did I know that his sister had been to the house and told him what happened and he didn't check my message until noon that day. So he went two hours or so when he didn't know if I was alive or dead.
When I let my dad go Tillie and Gina made phone calls. Then we went to sit on the curb by the building where other survivors were gathering and I was shocked by what I saw. So many of them were bleeding, disoriented and in shock. One of the supervisors in my office, Laquita Cowan, took our names down so they could alert our Regional Office.
We were cold. Some people from the Red Cross gave us blankets and water and asked us if we were okay. They checked all of our vital signs and then moved on to the next group. We sat there drinking our water and waited. And waited...
I remember walking back towards the building where they were putting another SSA employee in a stretcher. I saw Janet Beck, Title II claims representative standing there. She had this white look on her face. When I asked her what was wrong she told me Carol Bowers had just died. That hit me really hard. Just a little while ago I was at her desk. How could she be dead? I couldn't absorb this just yet. I wandered around in a daze for a little while longer then went back to Tillie and Gina and I told them.
We sat huddled together and cried until a police officer came to us and said they were clearing the area. We started to walk north on Harvey when Gina disappeared. She went to look for her husband. She was worried about Julie Welch. We hadn't seen her since 9:00. Tillie and I continued moving north until we got clear of the building. Then we turned around. Our mouths dropped to the ground and the blood ran out of our bodies. There was the skeleton of the Murrah building, surrounded by smoke, fire trucks, and debris floating in the air. We couldn't move.
Tillie said, "Oh my God those poor children."
I couldn't speak.
Crowds were forming in large numbers and we kept moving north. We stopped to use a man's cell phone to call my dad again. I gave him my new position. He said my brother and sister were on their way. I tried to stay there but we got moved again. I thought there would be no way they would ever find me. This was like a needle in a damn haystack. Great...
Then a wave of panic swept over the crowds. Supposedly another bomb had been found. People started running east of the building. Tillie and I began to run too. It was all so surreal?and it was then that I saw the back of my brother's head. He and my sister were frantically scanning the crowd for me. I yelled out to them and they turned around. I will never forget the relief I saw on their faces when they finally realized I was safe. It was a very emotional moment.
We headed toward a bridge and I remember my brother saying we should be careful should another explosion occur. We were talking about how this looked like Beirut in Oklahoma City. Tillie was still with us. When we reached the area near where my brother's van was parked, he left us to go get it so we wouldn't have to walk so far. I was shivering and it was then that I told my sister that my supervisor was dead. We prayed together that more people would be okay and then my brother drove up. We went to get something to eat but I couldn't eat anything. I would talk a little while, then stare into space. I don't think I took two bites out of my sandwich. I had no purse, no keys and no car to drive home. Even though I was thankful I had walked away from it, I was still irritated by this.
My brother said that new keys could be made, I could get new ID's and hopefully my car would be okay. We weren't sure though. We went to a medical clinic to get checked for any injuries. I was given a tetanus shot and was advised to go get an X-ray of my lungs to see if I had breathed in much insulation. On the drive back to Norman I asked to stop to see my dad. He lives in Moore and I wanted to see him so he could be really sure I was okay. Then we went to Norman.
My fiancé was very happy to see me, to say the least.
Then I went to take a shower.
A storm had brewed up and a loud clap of thunder came unexpectedly. It triggered a response in me I wasn't prepared for. To this day, if I am not prepared for it, thunder will trigger the same response. And it's worse if the lights happen to go out at the same time.
In the days that followed, we learned of who had survived and who had not. Julie was killed, and that was devastating to me. The man she was to interview, Emilio Tapia, was the Spanish disability interview I had scheduled for her on that date. As soon as I saw his picture in the paper I knew it was the same man I had helped just weeks before. I remembered that he had come in again just that Monday, April 17th wanting to see her early. I had told him she was unavailable and he needed to keep his appointment for the nineteenth. I remember standing in my kitchen crying with the newspaper in my hand. As it fell from my hands to the floor, I apologized and prayed that Julie and this man's family would forgive me for what I had done to them. Raymond Johnson, our volunteer, had also died.
It took four months for me to sleep in a regular bedroom instead of the couch with all the lights on. It was almost that long before I was comfortable being left alone at home at night. I had a dream a few days after the explosion. Carol Bowers came to use my phone to call her husband to tell him she was okay. She had a big smile on her face and told me my mother had been asking about me, and did I have a picture I could give her to take to my mother. I remember in my dream rummaging around in my drawers for one, and I gave it to her. She patted me on the shoulder and said that my mother was really good and missed me. She also told me to continue working hard, that I would be an excellent bilingual employee for Social Security. Then she said she had to go. When she left, she opened the door to my house, went outside and a huge bright light filled my living room. Then she was gone. I felt very comforted by that even though it still gives me chills when I think about it...
Being close to other survivors was very important to me at that time. We bonded very closely when we had to say goodbye to the ones we lost, while at the same time try to deal with the fears, survivors' guilt, and trauma we each had experienced. Sharon Littlejohn was the most severely injured employee from our office. When the blast occurred, she was blown back several feet from where she was standing and was found buried in the aisle by Richard Dean. She nearly lost an eye, had to undergo extensive hand surgeries to regain limited use of her fingers, many bits of glass had to be removed from her arms, legs, etc. She is lucky to be alive. Former President Clinton recognized Richard Dean at the State of the Union address for his bravery and heroism during this tragedy.
Many of us have found ourselves in the reluctant limelight so to speak since this...our lives completely changed overnight.
With time, it has gotten easier. After almost five years now I still have to deal with some fears that I didn't have before April 19, 1995. But I thank God every day for my life and that I walked away from this horrible event. I thank Him for my loving family, friends, and the opportunity He gave me to tell my story and to make every day a special one, and to always embrace new experiences in my life. Every once in a while I sit and I look at the Bachelor of Arts degree I earned in Spanish from the University of Oklahoma. Being bilingual saved my life. That piece of paper is what separated me from death...
This story is dedicated to those Social Security friends and co-workers I lost, that will forever be remembered:
Carol L. Bowers, Operations Supervisor
Sandra Avery, Development Clerk
Raymond Johnson, Indian Services Volunteer
Julie Welch, Title II Claims Representative
Steve Williams, Operations Supervisor
Derwin Miller, Title II Claims Representative
Sharon Wood-Chesnut, Title II Claims Representative
Margaret Goodson, Title XVI Claims Representative
Mike Thompson, Title XVI Claims Representative
Kathy Cregan, Service Representative
Ethel Griffin, Service Representative
Oleta Biddy, Service Representative
Ron Harding, Service Representative
Charlotte Thomas, appointment clerk
Bob Walker, Title II Claims Representative
Richard Allen, Title II Claims Representative

And Lorri McNiven, a survivor and a Title II Claims Representative, who passed away in September 2000 from unrelated circumstances.

"I am the resurrection and the life."

May they all rest in peace.




Go here to read the SSA archives on Richard Dean, the CR that was commended at Clinton's State of the Union Address.
http://www.ssaonline.us/history/okc5.html

The Blasphemy Challenge

A while back, a group called "The Rational Response Squad" promoted the "Blasphemy Challenge" on youtube. Basically they targeted young people to make a video denying the Holy Spirit and God. Not Allah, or Buddhism, or Satanism, or Witchcraft, just the Holy Spirit, which is linked to Christianity. The reason? Well, watch the clip and read a few snippets from the FAQ on their webpage.



How will The Blasphemy Challenge help?

Religious dogma has one chief means of support: Our unwillingness to criticize it in public. If we talked about religion the same way we talk about science, history or other fields involving truth claims, dogma would wither in the light. The Blasphemy Challenge, by addressing a truth claim of Christianity, is intended to provoke this sort of conversation.

Notice there is no mention of other religions.

"Is it true that you are targeting young people with this campaign?

Yes. As young people are the most vulnerable to religious indoctrination, we feel it is important to reach them with the concept of challenging the doctrine they are told to unquestioningly believe.

Okay, what about the doctrine of Hinduism? Are you going to go out and tell those people that they are wrong? Oh that's right. Being Hindu is okay. Being a Buddhist, Taoist or Confucionist is okay. Worshipping Satan or the Earth is okay, but don't you dare believe in the God of Christianity, or we will come after you.

The reward for posting a video? A free DVD entitled "The God that wasn't there."

Now I looked at many of these challenge videos, and so far I haven't seen anyone denouncing their belief in Allah or any other religions, just the Holy Spirit and the God of Christianity. (That's because they weren't asked to, because the RRS is OK with everything else. Christianity was specifically targeted.)

How can a person take this organization so seriously??? I mean come on. They don't even ask people of other faiths to denounce their gods.


My main problems with atheism are the following:

1) Using the violence of Islam as an excuse to denounce religion, mainly Christianity, and that's what it is. Example: All the terrorism in the Middle East they claim is completely based on Islam and don't take in other factors like racism, nationalism>therefore all religion is bad>Christians are ignorant>Creationists should be removed from teaching science or being in education in general>religion should be totally removed from our society>then we all live happily ever and serve each other>golden rule is the status quo>and we end up really worshipping the planet as environmentalists and feel guilty just for being an American while the elitists gobble it all up because they've just managed to control everyone into thinking this way.
As I said, some rational thinking atheists are actually standing up to radical Islamo-fascism and I applaud them, like John Gibson of Fox News. But they seem to be in the minority. Thus many use the former as an excuse to denounce the latter.
2) Many do not take a stand against ALL religions, as the general definition of atheism would lead most people to believe. As one youtuber put it:
"Um...f*** christianity and islam-i really don't have a problem with the others though."
"That's because they don't force their religion on you." Is the response.

Well I don't care, seriously. What kind of response is that? Has that person examined everything before making that decision? There should be books and critical analysis of Buddhism, Hinduism, etc. etc. vs. atheism but we don't see that. It should be shouted from the rooftops at the Ivy League schools. But all we see are Richard Dawkins, David Mills, PZ Myers, etc etc. denouncing GOD and that's enough to get you the prestige, awards, and recognition.

Therefore, I must conclude that these people have a serious problem with God and don't want to be accountable to anyone but themselves, and do not want to acknowledge a higher power. It's narcissism to the extreme. We are increasingly becoming more about "self" than ever before. However, environmentalism and "saving the planet" seem to be a worthy causes so that's ok.
4) Ruining the reputations of educators and scientists. All you have to do is read current events to see where academia and science are headed. No respect for people that explore ID. You have to be a Darwinian evolutionist or else you lose everything. People should not lose promotions or tenure because of religious beliefs. That is a violation of the Constitution, and promotes anarchy and Communism. The following is about a kid that filed a lawsuit against a teacher for bashing Christianity in the classroom. THIS IS BEING TAUGHT TO OUR KIDS!!!!! And it's ok, not a violation. Where is the ACLU???




(By the way, the school district dismissed the case. U.S. District Judge James Selna has ordered it to go forward however because he believes it has merit. Let's hope our judicial system doesn't let Chad Farnan down.)

5)Ridiculing young people and encouraging dissent in the traditional family value system. (RRS) Hey, you're not gonna knock on people's doors to promote atheism or ask some parents to talk to their kids about it freely are you? Why not? Could it be because the parents might have an objection to it? (And don't throw the door to door evangelism out there. I'm fully aware of the consequences of that, and it's the wrong approach.) No, you'll just stealth target them online, ridicule them at University by giving them bad grades when they challenge the professor and hit the other things they read. This is where parents need to WAKE UP and pay more attention to what their kids see online and read today. Many of the blasphemy videos and responses I see are full of profane, vulgar language specifically targeted at Christianity. When was the last time a Christian approached you and truly wanted to share the gospel with you and then said "F you because you don't want to hear the message?"

Atheism can be categorized into 2 sections, according to atheist.about.com. There's strong atheism and weak atheism.

"There is, unfortunately, some disagreement about the definition of atheism. It is interesting to note that most of that disagreement comes from theists — atheists themselves tend to agree on what atheism means. Christians in particular dispute the definition used by atheists and insist that atheism means something very different. (Not me, I go with the below statement.)
The broader, and more common, understanding of atheism among atheists is quite simply "not believing in any gods." No claims or denials are made — an atheist is just a person who does not happen to be a theist. Sometimes this broader understanding is called "weak" or "implicit" atheism. Most good, complete dictionaries readily support this.

There also exists a narrower sort of atheism, sometimes called "strong" or "explicit" atheism. With this type, the atheist explicitly denies the existence of any gods — making a strong claim which will deserve support at some point. Some atheists do this and others may do this with regards to certain specific gods but not with others. Thus, a person may lack belief in one god, but deny the existence of another god."

This really is an expansion of the first definition and not that different. But there are atheists that respect others and those that do not. That's the difference.

So why the attack on Christianity alone? Well, I've got a few opinions on this. One could be the oppression suffered during the Dark Ages and the Crusades, and then the rise of extreme fundamentalism in many parts of the world. Think Jim Jones, David Koresh, the FLDS, I could go on and on. These are valid reasons that I can understand why a person might turn away from God when they see these things in the media. But many people use these examples merely as excuses for denying God and not actively ensuring that they have explored every option before just denouncing Him. For example, being just Catholic all your life and then suddenly deciding you're an atheist doesn't cut it.



The mother in this video is wrong, and it's an example of extremely bad parenting, to use the foul language that she uses and "Christmas presents" to justify why her kid should believe and some mere words he said to the Bishop. This is her fault and not the kid's. It is her obligation to make sure he has a well rounded spiritual foundation in which to grow, a loving home. It doesn't appear that he has that. It's based on materialism and control. It's no wonder then that he has been seduced by the growing message that being a Christian is bad and makes you "stupid."

Moving on to 9/11 and the torture of innocent people worldwide by fundamental Muslims. I'm not talking about the garden variety Muslims that worship peacefully in their mosques and bother no one. I've met some very nice Muslim people and I would never categorize them in this fashion. I'm talking about the wave of dangerous sects of Islam that behead our soldiers and our journalists, that proclaim "Death to America" and all these things we see in the news, the same people that have killed innocent Iraqis. I have seen some atheists speak out against that, but there are very few. I believe the reason for this is the media bias against the Iraq War and the laws that are being written as we speak to protect terrorists. Our borders are porous. This is very bad news for America, and there's no denying it. If many atheists are humanists then why aren't they standing up for other innocent HUMANS?

My concern is that as time goes on, the rise of fundamental Islam could very well infiltrate this country and overwhelm it. As the next few generations get older, and their belief in God is gone completely, they will have no spiritual path on which to lean and be able to recognize the extreme dangers this poses for our freedoms. (Of course I'll get some backlash for not using secular documents such as the Constitution and the Treaty of Tripoli for this statement instead of religion.)

Sharia law has already affected some areas. Look at the Minneapolis airport, for example. The taxi drivers there have declared it. This was reported by John Gibson at Fox News. He says he is an atheist and he took the challenge but was professional about it. So I applaud this man for speaking out. Here's the link.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,255939,00.html


Now I'm not trying to say that my above statments would be the case with ALL atheists. But the fact that the RRS is going after young people who have not had a lot of life experiences (i.e. death of close relative, loss of job, marriage, family, threat against their own lives, divorce, terminal illness, etc. etc.) and who have maybe had some bad experiences with religion aren't even giving them a chance because they've had some bad experiences so it's "payback time."

Trying to turn kids against God is really hurting them in the long run and destroying our value system. There's been so much time spent on denouncing God, Christ, the Holy Spirit. Millions of books are sold promoting it. There are so many videos about this subject on youtube, that frankly, it scares me. There's not much respectful dialogue, it's mostly hate speech directed at one another.

Here are some responses from atheists to Christians who have responded to this blasphemy with statements that they DO believe:

"I believe you are delusional and your delusions are hurting us as a species. Preachers are false prophets, prayer is a superstition, heaven is a fairy tale, and god does not exist. I'm a proud member of the RATIONAL RESPONSE SQUAD and I DENY THE EXISTENCE OF GOD, JESUS, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT."

"Religion should never be followed. You may study it but only for its horrible impact that it has plagued on valuable human life. Religion is humankind's greatest downfall."

(The above statement alone makes me cringe. It makes me think of what our country might be like in a few decades, on college campuses and in academia in general, and that rules might be placed on our society saying we will not be allowed to even study religion, except for "its horrible impact that it has plagued on valuable human life. "Does this even sound like the United States of America anymore???)

"Science is about FACTS they're smart, they're athiests, they're right."

"When the Virgin Mary found out she was pregnant she should have had an abortion."

"You believe such stupid things idiot, f*** jesus"

"I am more important than all mythical beings because I actually exist."

"It's unconstitutional to support religion."

"F*** theism, f*** the concept of god."

"Little girl please understand that there are some big bad people who created the idea of God and that you fell into their little trap. GOD IS BULLSHIT."

Intimidation tactics meant to scare, to manipulate, to induce fear and hatred. Not something that opens the situation to respectful dialogue.

I have seen Christian responses that say "you will burn in hell" and "you better repent" and all that. Not kind.

There are many Christians that have twisted the Scriptures to fit their own purpose and this behavior is deplorable and despicable. These individuals will have to answer for their actions at some point in time. But this is the unfortunate nature of mankind. We are not infallible, and we cannot correct our behavior simply by following the Golden Rule and hope it just "works out for the best."

But then again we just die and poof...there's nothing right?

There are atheists that don't want religion in public schools. Notice I said religion. As in all religions. Nothing wrong with that. I'm actually a Christian that supports separation of Church and State. I do support the moment of silence however because I do not believe it is an attempt to bring the God of the Bible into the classroom. It is meant to be a reflective time and should be used for whatever the individual wants. It's not to promote prayer, and it's NOT to promote atheism.

I do support creationism and evolution being taught in the schools. Yes, you will call me an idiot and "intellectually dishonest" and that I am not truly scientifically educated, stupid, unable to see reality, whatever intimidation tactic you choose. You might say my arguments contradict one another. Again, that's ok too.
But the atheists also don't want you to vote on whether you want that in your school or not. This is the beginning of the eroding of values in our society. Yes, an atheist will say no, it's the beginning of the TRUTH and rational thinking.
An atheist will say that a person's decision to give up God is letting go of a crutch that keeps you from thinking clearly about the world and of just accepting that we die and that's it. Well they don't KNOW that is true. So to encourage young people to dissent from their religions and post a video to get a free DVD is irresponsible. These people don't care about these kids as people. All they care about is their publicity and the shock value that their stunt is bringing them.

I would just like to encourage the young people out there that before you just decide there is no God and take up with the crowd du jour, think seriously about what you are doing and the eternal consequences. You will go through many more trials in your life before you reach your 40's and 50's and you will be tested. It is not easy. It's easier to throw in the towel and say "there is no God" than to say there is. Is this world now becoming about the easy way out???

If you have been raised in an oppressive church, if you have gotten to the point where you just hated the idea of just getting up on Sunday morning and being dragged to one more Bible study or mass, and had people throw God in your face, please re-examine your options. Check out different denominations and see if there is another place where you might fit in and not be made to feel this way. I am saying this from personal experience. I have been in that situation. From age 13 to age 39. I hated going to church.

If you are over the age of 21, you are an adult. You have the power to make your own decisions. If you decide after fully examining everything to be an atheist, that is your right. But please, please, make absolutely certain that it is your conscience and not your professor, your friends, or some internet organization telling you to deny God. That is the wrong reason and will only get you accepted in certain circles for a little while.

My fear is that many that have renounced God will be the first to say they'll "believe in Allah" if Islam ever takes over this country to keep from being killed if they are ever faced with that. They won't think of it as "embracing a religion" but simply saying whatever they have to say. They'll tell themselves it's "no big deal." Yet they denied the God of Christianity.

I just want to pose a question to atheists: What would you do if you were to find yourself at the other end of a scimitar that is about to saw your head off for Allah? Or your children's if you do not accept Islam? If they say to you, "Say you believe in Allah or you and your family die right now."

What would you do?

Now let me ask: Has a Christian ever done that to you? I'm not talking about the Middle Ages, so please don't use that as an excuse. I'm talking RIGHT NOW in the modern age.

Just put yourself in that situation for a moment and ponder it. You don't have to answer right away.

I'm bound to get some hateful responses for this blog entry. But it's been on my mind, and as an American with rights to free speech, I'm going to post it. Fire away.

The Real Story behind the Oklahoma City Bombing

I've been chastised for expressing my views on this matter over and over again, but I tend to become even more entrenched and dig my heels in further when presented with opposing views on any topic. This is no exception when it comes to the OKC bombing. It's been 13 years since that horrible event, and yet people still do not get the connection between Timothy McVeigh, Terry Nichols and Al Qaeda. Does this mean that I believe those 2 to be innocent? Absolutely not. I was at McVeigh's trial. Looked him dead in the eye. When he looked back at me, I saw a man with no soul, no conviction, and no conscience. Terry Nichols was just along for the ride IMHO, but still just as guilty. We in America have short attention spans and allow our politicians, government and media to control the information that we get about the most crucial events that affect our society. Either that, or we allow them to "rewrite" it to save their own butts or to protect someone else's. We don't investigate anything; we take everything at face value. We let our politicians make false promises they don't intend to keep. We listen to academia and the science community make whatever claims they want to on any topic they want to, because, well, they're academia, they must be right and we do not question their motives or challenge them at all. Cases in point: Ward Churchill and Bill Ayers. How these two hateful, anti-American men were allowed to be put into a position to teach our young kids is just a reflection of where our nation is going. It's no wonder nobody "gets it" anymore.

I could continue on into a lengthy diatribe as to why I believe what I believe, but I'll just let the following video speak for itself. And, at the risk of sounding condescending, let me just say this: For those of you that want to take the time to investigate and actually learn something, buy Jayna Davis' book, The Third Terrorist.
When the Jihadists in this country attack again, maybe Americans will finally wake up. But I'm kind of doubting that will happen. They will listen to the mainstream media and blame George Bush, once again, for everything.

Living in Tornado Alley

Well last night we got the usual dose of spring thunderstorms that hit the OK/TX/KS area every year, otherwise known as "tornado alley."
Fortunately all I wound up with was a minor roof leak in my kitchen but my next door neighbors lost the roof on their hot tub gazebo and it damaged their flowerbeds and gutters.
Every spring when severe storms approach from the southwest, it takes me back to 2 significant events that happened in my life while still living in Oklahoma; the May 3, 1999 tornado and the April 19, 1995 bombing of the Alfred Murrah building in Oklahoma City. I was involved in both.
The latter I survived by the grace of God Almighty. Had I been at my desk at the time of the blast I would not be sitting here writing this right now. The reason I include this is because the blast itself was very much like a violent flash of lightning followed within a split second by thunder so loud and vicious it shakes the foundation you are standing on and rattles everything in your cabinets. Like a bomb and earthquake combined. Only the blast was much worse. It destroyed everything around me. Nothing else does that except a tornado or hurricane.
I continue to have severe problems when faced with a situation similar to that event, and that situation is a very bad storm. The sizzle that accompanies a close lightning strike mimics the sizzle I heard of lights popping and a skylight crashing above my head, followed by the strong clap of thunder that reverberates for miles. If the lights go out at the same time, it is like I am reliving the event over and over, classic symptoms of PTSD. It's very difficult to explain this to someone who has never been through it, but I always get the obligatory nod and the usual, "I can understand."
May 3, 1999. I was working in the little town of Chickasha OK, the first stop on the F5 grand tour. Once the warnings were issued for Caddo County, I left early and was driving home and could see the storm several miles behind me in my rearview mirror forming into the behemoth that ultimately chewed up Oklahoma City. I made it to my home in Norman about the time it hit that town. It did a lot of damage to the little airport there just north of the city. Thank God it didn't hit my office because I still had co-workers there at the time.
Of course by this time every local TV channel had their copters in the air, spotters on the ground, and the usual overkill that accompanies every little fart windstorm that hits the metro area every spring. But this was no little fart. I watched in horror on the television as the monster gained strength, almost like a snowball going down a hill. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. When the core looked like it could turn east towards Norman, I grabbed my pets, got back in the car, and tried to make it to a nearby shelter (we had no basement)
Sirens went off, the whole thing. Once the all clear was given (I didn't make it to the shelter in time) I started to go back to the house but just couldn't make myself do it. The idea of being confined in my space scared the shit out of me, excuse my french. When I look back on it, that logic made no sense at all and still doesn't. I knew better!
So I drove around, doo dee doo, listening to the radio. Dumbass me right? I guess I just figured at the time I'd rather be out in the open than confined because of what happened in 95.
After about an hour or so I did go back home and turn on the TV. By this time the storm was going up the turnpike, almost a straight path, and had hit the poor town of Bridgecreek. Then it went east and crossed I35. I was so scared for my elderly father and stepmother. They had no basement either and huddled in the coat closet until it passed. They described the wind as the "worst sound in the world."
My stepbrother lost his home. They had no basement and hid in the closet under the staircase. It ripped the home right off the foundation. So lucky to be alive.
I'll never understand why Oklahoma builders can't put basements in. They claim it's the hard soil, but I think people would be willing to pay the extra money, especially custom buyers, to have that done. Now of course we have the safe rooms above ground, which is so much better than the alternative. I have decided that no house I live in from now on will have less than a safe room.
When morning came on May 4, it was like April 19 all over again. People were shell shocked and at their limits emotionally. I couldn't do anything. No sleep for days. At that point I didn't want to leave my house. I went from not wanting to be there to not wanting to leave. I cried. I paced. I tried to sleep, but couldn't. Tried to eat, but couldn't. I was numb.
Had I not already been through the bombing, I have no doubt that I would have just picked right back up and kept going. But it took me days, weeks, to wrap my mind around what had just happened to our community, 6 years after such a horrible tragic event had already wracked it.
When I heard the stories of the people that perished, it was like reliving the deaths of co-workers all over again.
I guess much of the reason I write this today is to give pause and reflect, and also to praise the meteorologist teams in Oklahoma. Oklahoma catches a lot of crap in the media and allover as "redneck country" and "what do they know, they're just dumb Okies." Well, I can assure you, jokes aside and stereotypes forgotten, Oklahoma is a great state, and her citizens are nothing short of heroes. Many more lives would have been lost on May 3 had it not been for the tireless efforts of these scientists who make it their passion and life's work to understand these storms and to make sure people stay safe.

Our Holy Pascha Service

Here is what an Eastern Orthodox Pascha service looks like if anyone is interested:

http://www.patchchord.com/blog/2008/05/02/orthodox-easter-in-kansas-city/

The "Baptist Manifesto" and why there is so much atheism

I came upon a series of videos by His Eminence Archbishop Vladika Lazar of Canada discussing a "Baptist Manifesto" that was written and circulated in 2001 through the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. The author is Dr. Matt Spann, and this document was part of his doctoral project. I can't link the document here but I found it under namb.net.


I read this document a few months ago. It targets the evangelization of Orthodox Christians in Russia and proceeds to explain how we have it all wrong about having a relationship with God. I found it interesting in some places but before I even saw His Eminence's video analysis of it, I was very skeptical of some of the case studies being used. It read like typical Protestant propaganda and just shows me that it's more of the same, "we know more than everyone else does about salvation of the human race and it's our duty to put out our multi level marketing scheme to everyone we meet."

Here is an example of a case study from the document:

"Ivan was frustrated. The more he tried to know God, the farther
away God seemed. He wanted to read and learn more about him, but
where should he turn? Should he look in his daily prayer book, talk to
his priest, buy a Bible and read it? Which one would
be the best source for showing him the way? He
decided the best option would be to talk to the priest,
Father Dmitri. At least you could trust the Church. It
had been in his country for over a thousand years.
The priest frustrated him even more. Dmitri told him
not to worry about knowing God—he was a mystery and could not be
known. But the missionaries who led a Bible Study where Ivan went
to college seemed to personally know him. They think they do, Dmitri
said, but what they really know is merely a system they have created
to explain him who is without explanation."

I've never known an Orthodox who has ever experienced this. When I went to Russia in 1991, the people there were EAGER to talk about God and the Bible, and to share their faith. In many ways, I think Russians are more spiritual than many Americans are. We here take our religious freedoms for granted, whereas they have had theirs trampled on for decades by just about every form of opposition imaginable. I think it's appalling and ridiculous to make these kinds of statements about Orthodoxy.

But you have to understand the evangelical Protestant mind. You see, the way it works is this: You go to a Baptist church and you might be new. Some deacons get ahold of you or some of the laypeople in the congregation. They ask you if you've been saved and if you were to die RIGHT NOW do you know in your heart whether or not you would go to heaven? The pressure is enormous to please these people and not turn them away because, they're looking out for your salvation. You fill out comment cards with your address and phone number and they might call you out in the service to recognize you as a "special guest." I've been in this situation many MANY times. After a day or so, they start calling to "invite you back because they really enjoyed meeting you." You might go or you might not. Then you might get a knock on your door from them, asking if they could just have "a minute of your time" to explain the plan of salvation. They leave bible tracts and all kinds of literature. But instead of feeling like you've made a new friend, you feel a sort of obligation. Why? Well the truth is this: They've been sent out by their pastor to "win souls for God" and they have to tell him how many they won.

If you're not one of them they will continue to call you and show up at your house until you either 1) agree to become a member of their church, 2) get baptized at their church, or 3) just get nasty and say horrible things to them so they won't want to come back. I've never done that because it's not in my nature to be mean and nasty who are trying to have good intentions with their behavior.

So maybe after a while you join. Then you are called out to do the same, which means over time, you get a larger congregation=more money for the church=more money for crazy things like the Big Butter Jesus in Cincinnati or skyscraper size crosses outside on the freeway. This also means more recognition for your pastor in the pulpit, nicer suits for him, and a nicer car for him to drive. Maybe even a fancier toupee. Now I'm probably being cliche here. But I've seen it in a lot of churches. More than I care to list. Once you are a member, and even though you're saved, you have to continue going to your pastor for "counseling" and additional spiritual guidance outside of the services. It's just part of being a Baptist, or maybe just a Protestant altogether. But that's not the bad part. You then have to endure messages of condemnation, guilt, finger pointing, being told how to vote, how to raise your kids, who to be friends with, what music to listen to, who to date, who to marry, what schools to go to, the list is endless. And your walk with God is always questioned no matter what, even though you are "saved" according to the doctrine. You might even have your life planned out for you because some "divine revelation" was given to someone close to you in your congregation that's been praying for you and it's time to "step up and be who God called you to be." If that isn't the definition of a controlling church I don't know what is!!

It's not enough to say that you "pray quietly at home." Telling that to a Baptist is like telling a cop to stick a ticket you know where. You just don't DO that because it removes you from their public scrutiny and places you in the sanctuary of your home, which is supposed to be a "mini church."

But I digress. The whole series of youtube videos is out now, and it's at least 10 sessions. I'm going to link #10 because he says something very interesting about atheism in this country, but I'm not going to cheat and put in the timestamp. You have to watch the whole thing.