I'm not surprised at all about this latest development. Apparently Senator Obama WAS present last July 22 in his church when Jeremiah Wright preached a sermon and used inflammatory language against our country and against white Americans in general.
His "denial" of any knowledge of Dr. Wright's radical views is flimsy at best. I've watched the youtube video and it is amazing how many people are talking against it. But I think in some ways the tide will turn. The left wing biased corrupt media will do everything in their power to minimize it and turn on the attack machine because "this just cannot be true, and we have to make it so."
And maybe there will be just enough people out there that will buy the lie and keep on drinking the kool-aid, because, simply, they've put their faith in this candidate and "this just cannot be true!"
They will spin it in their minds to make it make sense, to correct it, and to attack those that spoke out and broke the story, because "this just cannot be true!"
Well it is true, I'm afraid, and for Senator Obama to follow this man's teaching and influence for 20 years + and say he didn't "know anything" about his radical views is basically lying to the American people about his patriotism, and it makes sense to question his ability to be the leader of the freest nation in the world.
If my priest were to get up in front of my congregation and talk against our country like that, people would walk out and there would be a reckoning. Orthodox Christians, both black AND white, came to America to flee persecution and elimination from atheistic communist and other oppressive societies. I know black Orthodox priests and they would NEVER preach in the manner that Dr. Wright did.
The message of Christ is a positive one, not one based on "social theology." When you emphasize that, you are replacing the message of Christ with a message of social theology, and therefore it opens everything up to self-interpretation and the downfall of man. Man cannot be mightier than Christ.
Newsmax.com:
Obama Attended Hate America Sermon
Sunday, March 16, 2008 7:14 PM
By: Ronald Kessler
Contrary to Senator Barack Obama’s claim that he never heard his pastor Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr. preach hatred of America, Obama was in the pews last July 22 when the minister blamed the “white arrogance” of America’s Caucasian majority for the world’s suffering, especially the oppression of blacks.
Senator Obama has sought to separate himself from his pastor’s incendiary remarks, issuing a statement Friday rejecting them as “inflammatory and appalling” but failing to renounce Wright himself for his venomous and paranoid denunciations of America.
In his press release, Obama claimed, “The statements that Rev. Wright made that are the cause of this controversy were not statements I personally heard him preach while I sat in the pews of Trinity [United Church of Christ] or heard him utter in private conversation.”
Appearing on cable news shows this past weekend, Obama claimed when he saw recent videos that have Wright making such comments as “God damn America,” he was “shocked.” Obama implied that the reverend had not used such derogatory language in any of the church services Obama attended over the past two decades.
If Obama’s claims are true that he was completely unaware that Wright’s trademark preaching style at the Trinity United Church of Christ has targeted “white” America and Israel, he would have been one of the few people in Chicago to be so uninformed. Wright’s reputation for spewing hate is well known.
In fact, Obama was present in the South Side Chicago church on July 22 last year when Jim Davis, a freelance correspondent for Newsmax, attended services along with Obama. [See: ”Obama’s Church: Cauldron of Division.”]
In his sermon that day, Wright tore into America, referring to the “United States of White America” and lacing his sermon with expletives as Obama listened. Hearing Wright’s attacks on his own country, Obama had the opportunity to walk out, but Davis said the senator sat in his pew and nodded in agreement.
Addressing the Iraq war, Wright thundered, “Young African-American men” were “dying for nothing.” The “illegal war,” he shouted, was “based on Bush’s lies” and is being “fought for oil money.”
Obama’s most famous celebrity backer, Oprah Winfrey began attending Wright’s church in 1984. Last year, Newsmax magazine reported that Winfrey abruptly stopped attending years ago, and suggested that she did so to distance herself from Wright’s inflammatory rhetoric. She soon found herself a target of Wright, who excoriated her for having broken with “traditional faith.”
The Reverend Wright’s anti-white theology that Senator Obama expressed surprise over is evident on the church’s website. The site says the congregation subscribes to what it calls the Black Value System, which is described as a disavowal of “our racist competitive society” and the pursuit of “middle-classness.” That is defined as a way for American society to “snare” blacks rather than “killing them off directly” or “placing them in concentration camps,” just as the country structures “an economic environment that induces captive youth to fill the jails and prisons.”
“In the 21st century, white America got a wake-up call after 9/11/01,” Wright wrote in the church-affiliated magazine Trumpet four years after the attacks. “White America and the western world came to realize that people of color had not gone away, faded into the woodwork or just ‘disappeared’ as the Great White West kept on its merry way of ignoring black concerns.”
The Relationship Unravels
Senator Obama now is attempting to minimize his long and close relationship with the controversial minister.
On Friday, John McCain’s campaign distributed a Wall Street Journal op-ed “Obama and the Minister” written under my byline based on my reporting for Newsmax going back to early January of this year.
The op-ed included details of a sermon Wright gave at Howard University blaming America for starting the AIDS virus, training professional killers, importing drugs, shamelessly supporting Israel, and creating a racist society that would never elect a black man as president. [See: “Obama’s Minister’s Hatred of America.”]
Obama’s campaign quickly responded to the Wall Street Journal op-ed, posting a statement on the Huffington Post. In his statement, Obama acknowledged that some of Wright’s statements have been “inflammatory and appalling.”
Saying he strongly condemns Wright’s comments, Obama continued, “I categorically denounce any statement that disparages our great country or serves to divide us from our allies. I also believe that words that degrade individuals have no place in our public dialogue, whether it’s on the campaign stump or in the pulpit. In sum, I reject outright the statements by Rev. Wright that are at issue.” [emphasis added]
Again, Obama moved to narrowly distance himself from specific comments Wright had made, while still praising his minister in recent interviews for leading him to Jesus and preaching a “social gospel.”
Obama went on to claim that he first learned about Wright’s controversial statements when he began his presidential campaign. But this assertion conflicts with the fact that just before Obama’s nationally televised campaign kickoff rally on Feb. 10, 2007, the candidate disinvited Wright from giving the public invocation.
At the time, Wright explained: “When [Obama’s] enemies find out that in 1984 I went to Tripoli” to visit Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi with Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, “a lot of his Jewish support will dry up quicker than a snowball in hell.”
According to Wright, Obama then told him, “'You can get kind of rough in the sermons, so what we’ve decided is that it’s best for you not to be out there in public.'” Still, Obama and his family prayed privately with Wright just before the presidential announcement.
Apparently Obama never foresaw Wright’s sermons making national television or becoming a sensation on YouTube. But lending graphic detail to the saga, ABC News and other networks began running a 2003 sermon in which Wright said, “The government gives them the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law and then wants us to sing ‘God Bless America.’ No, no, no, God damn America, that’s in the Bible, for killing innocent people ... God damn America for treating our citizens as less than human. God damn America for as long as she acts like she is God and she is supreme.”
Obama has described Wright as a sounding board and mentor. Wright is one of the first people Obama thanked after his election to the Senate in 2004. Obama consulted Wright before deciding to run for president. The title of Obama’s bestseller “The Audacity of Hope” comes from one of Wright’s sermons. Obama’s “Yes We Can!” slogan is one of Wright’s exhortations.
Apologists for Wright have said that what he says is normal in black churches, and many blacks claim such preaching cannot be understood by whites.
“If you’re black, it’s hard to say what you truly think and not upset white people,” the New York Times quoted James Cone as saying. Cone is a professor at Union Theological Seminary and the father of what is known as black liberation theology.
But Juan Williams, a Fox News commentator and author of “Enough: The Phony Leaders, Dead-End Movements, and Culture of Failure That Are Undermining Black America,” tells Newsmax that Wright’s sermons reflect “the victim mindset that is so self-defeating in the black community and one that is played on by weak black leadership that chooses to have black people identified as victims rather than inspiring them as people who have overcome. In posing as victims, they say the most prejudiced and vicious things, not only about whites but about America. They call it theology. In fact, it’s nothing but bigotry.”
In failing to condemn Wright himself and claiming that he was unaware of the preacher’s hate-filled speech, Obama is continuing a longstanding pattern.
Obama often refers to Wright as being "like an old uncle, who sometimes says things I don't agree with." Wright is not Obama’s “uncle” — a person born into a blood relationship — but a man he has cultivated for decades as a close friend, mentor and adviser.
After Newsmax broke the story on Jan. 14 that Wright’s church gave an award to Louis Farrakhan in December for lifetime achievement, Obama again sought to denounce his minister’s action without criticizing Wright himself.
Like Wright, Farrakhan has repeatedly made hate-filled statements targeting Jews (calling Judaism a “gutter religion”), whites, America, and homosexuals. He has called whites “blue-eyed devils” and the “anti-Christ.” He has described Jews as “bloodsuckers” who control the government, the media, and some black organizations.
After the Newsmax story, Obama issued a statement purportedly addressing the issue.
"I decry racism and anti-Semitism in every form and strongly condemn the anti-Semitic statements made by Minister Farrakhan," Obama said.
Again, Obama was careful not to condemn Farrakhan himself or Wright who had spoken adoringly of Farrakhan and put their church behind the award to the controversial Nation of Islam leader.
“When Minister Farrakhan speaks, black America listens,” Trumpet quoted Wright as saying. “His depth on analysis [sic] when it comes to the racial ills of this nation is astounding and eye-opening. He brings a perspective that is helpful and honest.”
Obama adroitly said, “I assume that Trumpet magazine made its own decision to honor Farrakhan based on his efforts to rehabilitate ex-offenders, but it is not a decision with which I agree.”
In fact, Trumpet is published by Wright’s church using the church’s offices. Wright’s daughters serve as publisher and executive editor.
Having gotten away with sidestepping Wright’s adoring comments about Farrakhan, Obama told Jewish leaders flatly in Cleveland on Jan. 24 that the award was because of Farrakhan’s work with ex-offenders. To date, no news outlet has pointed out that Obama’s claim is false.
Obama went on to explain away Wright’s anti-Zionist statements as being rooted in his anger over the Jewish state’s support for South Africa under its previous policy of apartheid. As with his claim that the award to Farrakhan was made because of his work with ex-offenders, Obama made that up. Wright’s statements denouncing Israel have not been qualified in any way.
On Fox News’ Hannity & Colmes on Saturday, Obama said he would have quit the church if he had “repeatedly” been present when Wright made inflammatory statements. He was not asked why he did not quit the church when it gave an award to Farrakhan.
Having considered Wright a friend and mentor for two decades, Obama now often mentions that his pastor recently retired. Wright suggested to the New York Times last year that he and Obama might have to do something of a distancing act in the run up to the election.
"If Barack gets past the primary, he might have to publicly distance himself from me," Wright was quoted by The New York Times. "I said it to Barack personally, and he said, ‘Yeah, that might have to happen.'"
Ronald Kessler is chief Washington correspondent of Newsmax.com.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Friday, March 14, 2008
The "New" Barack Obama
Well, I see it. Do you???
As I have posted before, up until now, Barack Obama has been given a complete pass about his religion and his pastor's behavior. For the most part anyway, compared to that of Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee. The fact that Mitt Romney was a Mormon was a big issue to many people. Does this hinder his ability to lead the country?
Mike Huckabee was labeled immediately as soon as he promoted "sanctity of life." And this is wrong exactly how?
Obama has led his charismatic speeches, impressing people along the way with his easy way of "playing the game." He's promised to change America. But when I hear local radio talk show hosts asking callers who believe his message exactly how he's going to change the country and on what specific issues there is complete silence. They can't do it. Because they've been mesmerized by this whole "idea" of Barack Obama. It's like "let's all drink the Obama kool aid and get on board."
Barack Obama has not really outlined any plans on how he plans to change America. He wrote "The Audacity of Hope." So what.
This bothers me tremendously as an American voter. Exactly what am I voting on? An idea? A dream of something? Dreams don't keep terrorists out of our country. Ideas not put into action do nothing to increase our security and economy. Only firm plans and decisions do. Barack Obama to me is just the "pie in the sky" candidate with no plans but to assimilate into power. There's no telling what he could do with that power when he has no plans, and nothing except his speeches to bail him out. There's only so far that will go.
And now with his religious leader's comments all over the news, it's very chilling to see who he associates with in his spiritual life. I don't want a president that has dabbled in a bunch of other religions before deciding on Christianity, a form of Christianity that pushes racism, bigotry, and American hating ideology. I remember when he first started his campaign, when he met with those that would construct his rise to power, in secret, away from the media. I'm beginning to put the pieces together as to what might have happened and why the media wasn't allowed in there. It's a very scary thing and we should really all wake up.
There's a clear violation in the tax code that a preacher is not supposed to use the pulpit to promote politics. I've seen it violated in conservative churches, and the government gavel slammed down upon them to shut them up. Will the same happen to Jeremiah Wright? My bet is that his actions will be brushed under the carpet and he will merely get a slap on the wrist, while the media jumps in to do damage control to keep him out of public scrutiny. This story will then fade, and Barack will rise again, clean as ever. Then more kool aid will be passed out as his speechwriter polishes his or her pen, poised to bring his "audacity of hope" message back into focus.
As I have posted before, up until now, Barack Obama has been given a complete pass about his religion and his pastor's behavior. For the most part anyway, compared to that of Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee. The fact that Mitt Romney was a Mormon was a big issue to many people. Does this hinder his ability to lead the country?
Mike Huckabee was labeled immediately as soon as he promoted "sanctity of life." And this is wrong exactly how?
Obama has led his charismatic speeches, impressing people along the way with his easy way of "playing the game." He's promised to change America. But when I hear local radio talk show hosts asking callers who believe his message exactly how he's going to change the country and on what specific issues there is complete silence. They can't do it. Because they've been mesmerized by this whole "idea" of Barack Obama. It's like "let's all drink the Obama kool aid and get on board."
Barack Obama has not really outlined any plans on how he plans to change America. He wrote "The Audacity of Hope." So what.
This bothers me tremendously as an American voter. Exactly what am I voting on? An idea? A dream of something? Dreams don't keep terrorists out of our country. Ideas not put into action do nothing to increase our security and economy. Only firm plans and decisions do. Barack Obama to me is just the "pie in the sky" candidate with no plans but to assimilate into power. There's no telling what he could do with that power when he has no plans, and nothing except his speeches to bail him out. There's only so far that will go.
And now with his religious leader's comments all over the news, it's very chilling to see who he associates with in his spiritual life. I don't want a president that has dabbled in a bunch of other religions before deciding on Christianity, a form of Christianity that pushes racism, bigotry, and American hating ideology. I remember when he first started his campaign, when he met with those that would construct his rise to power, in secret, away from the media. I'm beginning to put the pieces together as to what might have happened and why the media wasn't allowed in there. It's a very scary thing and we should really all wake up.
There's a clear violation in the tax code that a preacher is not supposed to use the pulpit to promote politics. I've seen it violated in conservative churches, and the government gavel slammed down upon them to shut them up. Will the same happen to Jeremiah Wright? My bet is that his actions will be brushed under the carpet and he will merely get a slap on the wrist, while the media jumps in to do damage control to keep him out of public scrutiny. This story will then fade, and Barack will rise again, clean as ever. Then more kool aid will be passed out as his speechwriter polishes his or her pen, poised to bring his "audacity of hope" message back into focus.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Seven Deadly Sins of Debt
Here's what I would like to see taught in highschools, homes and colleges around our country instead of pushing political agendas like the moment of silence issue, global warming and the need for immediate amnesty.
The Seven Deadly Sins That Lead to Debt
by Sheyna Steiner
Wednesday, February 27, 2008provided byBankrate
Financial sinners won't have to wait for the afterlife to be punished for their various misdeeds. Plenty of consequences await in the here and now.
Presented with choices daily, human beings can lead chaste and charitable fiscal lives. Or they can succumb to fleeting temptations and fatal traps.
So choose to commit these deadly sins -- or work to bring a little temperance into your spending.
7 deadly debt sins:
Envy
The rich and famous luxury items are accessible now more than ever -- and without the wealth they once implied. With more and more people sporting expensive goods, it's easy to feel left out and far behind.
"The income disparity has gone up considerably, and what has happened is that it has changed our consumption patterns," says Ronald Wilcox, professor of business administration at the Darden School of Business, University of Virginia and author of the upcoming book, "Whatever Happened to Thrift? Why Americans Don't Save and What to Do about It."
Envy colors our perceptions. "What we decide is reasonable to consume is what we view being consumed around us," he says. "But because income disparities are so incredibly unequal, what we view around us really is beyond our ability to afford."
Consumers can get caught up trying to keep up with the Joneses or the upper-middle-class families they see on TV, believing they should own the same things others own.
"The problem with this scenario is that living like the rich doesn't last that long. And if you consider appearing in bankruptcy court as being famous, then you have achieved half your goal," says Terry Rigg, editor of Budget Stretcher, a Web site for the frugally minded.
Forget that pride goes before a fall
Pride can get in the way of preparing for worst-case scenarios.
People tend to feel overly optimistic about their ability to pay back debt, stay out of harm's way and maintain perfect vehicular performance indefinitely.
All human beings suffer from overconfidence -- but Americans more than anyone, says Ronald Wilcox, author of the upcoming book, "Whatever Happened to Thrift? Why Americans Don't Save and What to Do about It," and a professor of business administration at the University of Virginia.
"Our nation has seen great benefits from the confidence to take risks. Risk-taking built Manhattan. But there is a dark underbelly," he warns. "There are some winners and they do great things, but there are a lot of losers. And one of the risks that people take is spending all their money now and not saving for a rainy day."
Incredible though it may be, cars do sometimes need repairs, cavities need to be filled and surgeries may be required that insurance doesn't completely cover.
"We hear it all the time, but everyone has got to have an emergency fund. It's not if it happens, but when," says Gail Cunningham, senior director of public relations for the National Foundation for Credit Counseling.
Be slothful with finances
Finances tend to be complicated and require some mental manipulation of the most dreaded of all things: numbers. Failure to pay attention to loan terms and due dates can have severe consequences.
A survey for Bankrate.com's Financial Literacy series last year revealed that 34 percent of homeowners had no idea what type of mortgage they had -- whether it had a fixed or adjustable rate.
"I like to use the term 'financial complacency' to describe people that never really take the time to get the big picture of their finances," says Terry Rigg, editor of Budget Stretcher Web site and newsletter.
We prefer the term "sloth."
Avoidance is easy; paying attention is hard, especially when confronted with unpleasant facts like a hefty credit card bill or struggling to learn something new like investing basics just to enroll in a company-sponsored retirement plan.
"Americans don't really understand parts of those plans," says Wilcox. "This is probably due in part to Americans' reduced interest in mathematics relative to the rest of the world. Americans don't study it as intensely and they don't really understand the benefits of compound interest."
Get greedy when borrowing
Why buy an economy car when you can get a loan for twice as much and ride around in style?
Over-buying (read: greed) is a trap into which consumers can easily stumble.
A dollar is not always a dollar in our minds, says Ronald Wilcox, professor of business administration at the University of Virginia and author of the upcoming book, "Whatever Happened to Thrift? Why Americans Don't Save and What to Do about It." Some days a dollar will be more valuable to you than others.
Often when making big purchases, the price seems so overwhelmingly high that smaller add-ons or upgrades start looking like great deals in comparison.
"What you're doing is pairing the smaller purchase with the bigger number and all of a sudden it looks reasonable in comparison when on any other day you would recognize this as a really bad deal," says Wilcox.
"Marketers are aware of that, so they will add on lots of small items -- like warranties for instance -- things that have huge margins that they can make a lot of money on," he says.
Rationalizations could include, "Well I'm already borrowing $10,000, so what's another $3,000?"
"Learn not to buy on impulse and plan every purchase carefully. If you don't have the money now -- save until you do," says Terry Rigg, editor of Budget Stretcher, a Web site and newsletter.
Feel wrathful at everyone but yourself
Blame others for your own financial missteps. That way you never have to learn anything new.
To the peril of individuals, lenders won't cut you off when you've had enough. Criminal nondisclosure of loan details aside, lenders aren't in the business of making sure you save money and don't overspend.
"The savings crisis and the household debt crisis are directly related to each other," says Ronald Wilcox, author of the upcoming book, "Whatever Happened to Thrift? Why Americans Don't Save and What to Do about It," and professor of business administration at the University of Virginia.
"We wouldn't see foreclosures go up as quickly if people had a cushion of savings."
So wrath, when targeting others, is often misdirected. Developing a strategy for your finances is a personal responsibility, says Wilcox.
"On the corporate side of things, companies can do things that can make it easier for people to figure out how to save and save in an effective way," says Wilcox. "And the same goes for the government. They can make it easier for people, but can't force anyone to do anything."
For instance, companies can automatically enroll their employees in their retirement plans, but participation in a savings plan can't be a condition of employment. Similarly, the government provides tax incentives for saving in retirement accounts such as IRAs, but you can't be thrown in jail for not taking advantage of it.
To avoid messy situations, develop a budget with both savings and debt pay-down strategies -- and stick to it.
"It's much easier to tell yourself and your kids 'no' if you know what the spending limits are. Everyone in the family should know that they can't get everything they want because the money is just not there," says Terry Rigg, editor of Budget Stretcher, a Web site and newsletter.
Be gluttonous
You deserve that cookie so go ahead and eat it and maybe a couple more for good measure. While you're at it, buy the bedroom set you can't afford but deeply desire.
As a nation, the United States is both plainly fat from eating too much and overstuffed in the materialistic sense. The message from society in general can sometimes be: You work hard, so splurge.
It's very possible to have a house full of stuff and no money. It's also possible to be extremely overweight and ingest no healthy nutrients.
Just like eating food for no good reason other than the fact that it is set in front of you, people buy stuff just to buy it.
"It's so easy when you're in a mall to start buying things on impulse. They're very attractive and all shiny and new -- especially when they're on sale," says Dave Jones, president of the Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies.
"People will react to a sale item -- 60 percent off -- and buy it when they don't need it or want it."
Big-box stores are vast dens of temptation, offering lots of everything at sale prices.
"People buy huge amounts of stuff and think they're saving money. But what happens is that it just takes up space, takes years to use up or it just spoils," Jones says.
Let lust lead you into spending
What can a little coveting hurt if no action is taken?
Lust can take many forms. Stereotypical but true, it would be hard to find more than a handful of women who hadn't longed for a particularly fetching pair of shoes or other frippery on occasion.
As for men, one need look no further than the swimsuit edition of a popular sports magazine or the covers of various lad mags and other even more risqué publications that grace the newsstands.
That particular facet of lust was so vexing in centuries past that it was widely believed the afflicted would suffer greatly in the afterlife.
That facet of lust often does contribute to debt -- a contemporary hell -- in the modern day.
"Pornography is a very large industry, but it is hidden," says Stuart Vyse, author of "Going Broke: Why Americans Can't Hold on to Their Money."
"The fact that it is hidden makes it hugely popular because you can engage in it without anybody knowing."
And the Internet has made it very easy for people to indulge with little immediate consequence.
According to Vyse, it's estimated that Americans spend between $10 billion and $13 billion on adult entertainment.
That's a lot of money that might be put to better use in retirement accounts across the country.
Copyrighted, Bankrate.com. All rights reserved.
What I find even more funny about this article is that if religious people that are thrifty tell you to save and if they made up some story about how you'd "pay" in an afterlife for your sins of greed or whatever, most people would debunk it. However, on the other hand, if it was some Hollywood actor or rich designer touting it, I bet people would be like, "Ahhh...words of wisdom to live by."
Americans are so fickle aren't we?
The Seven Deadly Sins That Lead to Debt
by Sheyna Steiner
Wednesday, February 27, 2008provided byBankrate
Financial sinners won't have to wait for the afterlife to be punished for their various misdeeds. Plenty of consequences await in the here and now.
Presented with choices daily, human beings can lead chaste and charitable fiscal lives. Or they can succumb to fleeting temptations and fatal traps.
So choose to commit these deadly sins -- or work to bring a little temperance into your spending.
7 deadly debt sins:
Envy
The rich and famous luxury items are accessible now more than ever -- and without the wealth they once implied. With more and more people sporting expensive goods, it's easy to feel left out and far behind.
"The income disparity has gone up considerably, and what has happened is that it has changed our consumption patterns," says Ronald Wilcox, professor of business administration at the Darden School of Business, University of Virginia and author of the upcoming book, "Whatever Happened to Thrift? Why Americans Don't Save and What to Do about It."
Envy colors our perceptions. "What we decide is reasonable to consume is what we view being consumed around us," he says. "But because income disparities are so incredibly unequal, what we view around us really is beyond our ability to afford."
Consumers can get caught up trying to keep up with the Joneses or the upper-middle-class families they see on TV, believing they should own the same things others own.
"The problem with this scenario is that living like the rich doesn't last that long. And if you consider appearing in bankruptcy court as being famous, then you have achieved half your goal," says Terry Rigg, editor of Budget Stretcher, a Web site for the frugally minded.
Forget that pride goes before a fall
Pride can get in the way of preparing for worst-case scenarios.
People tend to feel overly optimistic about their ability to pay back debt, stay out of harm's way and maintain perfect vehicular performance indefinitely.
All human beings suffer from overconfidence -- but Americans more than anyone, says Ronald Wilcox, author of the upcoming book, "Whatever Happened to Thrift? Why Americans Don't Save and What to Do about It," and a professor of business administration at the University of Virginia.
"Our nation has seen great benefits from the confidence to take risks. Risk-taking built Manhattan. But there is a dark underbelly," he warns. "There are some winners and they do great things, but there are a lot of losers. And one of the risks that people take is spending all their money now and not saving for a rainy day."
Incredible though it may be, cars do sometimes need repairs, cavities need to be filled and surgeries may be required that insurance doesn't completely cover.
"We hear it all the time, but everyone has got to have an emergency fund. It's not if it happens, but when," says Gail Cunningham, senior director of public relations for the National Foundation for Credit Counseling.
Be slothful with finances
Finances tend to be complicated and require some mental manipulation of the most dreaded of all things: numbers. Failure to pay attention to loan terms and due dates can have severe consequences.
A survey for Bankrate.com's Financial Literacy series last year revealed that 34 percent of homeowners had no idea what type of mortgage they had -- whether it had a fixed or adjustable rate.
"I like to use the term 'financial complacency' to describe people that never really take the time to get the big picture of their finances," says Terry Rigg, editor of Budget Stretcher Web site and newsletter.
We prefer the term "sloth."
Avoidance is easy; paying attention is hard, especially when confronted with unpleasant facts like a hefty credit card bill or struggling to learn something new like investing basics just to enroll in a company-sponsored retirement plan.
"Americans don't really understand parts of those plans," says Wilcox. "This is probably due in part to Americans' reduced interest in mathematics relative to the rest of the world. Americans don't study it as intensely and they don't really understand the benefits of compound interest."
Get greedy when borrowing
Why buy an economy car when you can get a loan for twice as much and ride around in style?
Over-buying (read: greed) is a trap into which consumers can easily stumble.
A dollar is not always a dollar in our minds, says Ronald Wilcox, professor of business administration at the University of Virginia and author of the upcoming book, "Whatever Happened to Thrift? Why Americans Don't Save and What to Do about It." Some days a dollar will be more valuable to you than others.
Often when making big purchases, the price seems so overwhelmingly high that smaller add-ons or upgrades start looking like great deals in comparison.
"What you're doing is pairing the smaller purchase with the bigger number and all of a sudden it looks reasonable in comparison when on any other day you would recognize this as a really bad deal," says Wilcox.
"Marketers are aware of that, so they will add on lots of small items -- like warranties for instance -- things that have huge margins that they can make a lot of money on," he says.
Rationalizations could include, "Well I'm already borrowing $10,000, so what's another $3,000?"
"Learn not to buy on impulse and plan every purchase carefully. If you don't have the money now -- save until you do," says Terry Rigg, editor of Budget Stretcher, a Web site and newsletter.
Feel wrathful at everyone but yourself
Blame others for your own financial missteps. That way you never have to learn anything new.
To the peril of individuals, lenders won't cut you off when you've had enough. Criminal nondisclosure of loan details aside, lenders aren't in the business of making sure you save money and don't overspend.
"The savings crisis and the household debt crisis are directly related to each other," says Ronald Wilcox, author of the upcoming book, "Whatever Happened to Thrift? Why Americans Don't Save and What to Do about It," and professor of business administration at the University of Virginia.
"We wouldn't see foreclosures go up as quickly if people had a cushion of savings."
So wrath, when targeting others, is often misdirected. Developing a strategy for your finances is a personal responsibility, says Wilcox.
"On the corporate side of things, companies can do things that can make it easier for people to figure out how to save and save in an effective way," says Wilcox. "And the same goes for the government. They can make it easier for people, but can't force anyone to do anything."
For instance, companies can automatically enroll their employees in their retirement plans, but participation in a savings plan can't be a condition of employment. Similarly, the government provides tax incentives for saving in retirement accounts such as IRAs, but you can't be thrown in jail for not taking advantage of it.
To avoid messy situations, develop a budget with both savings and debt pay-down strategies -- and stick to it.
"It's much easier to tell yourself and your kids 'no' if you know what the spending limits are. Everyone in the family should know that they can't get everything they want because the money is just not there," says Terry Rigg, editor of Budget Stretcher, a Web site and newsletter.
Be gluttonous
You deserve that cookie so go ahead and eat it and maybe a couple more for good measure. While you're at it, buy the bedroom set you can't afford but deeply desire.
As a nation, the United States is both plainly fat from eating too much and overstuffed in the materialistic sense. The message from society in general can sometimes be: You work hard, so splurge.
It's very possible to have a house full of stuff and no money. It's also possible to be extremely overweight and ingest no healthy nutrients.
Just like eating food for no good reason other than the fact that it is set in front of you, people buy stuff just to buy it.
"It's so easy when you're in a mall to start buying things on impulse. They're very attractive and all shiny and new -- especially when they're on sale," says Dave Jones, president of the Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies.
"People will react to a sale item -- 60 percent off -- and buy it when they don't need it or want it."
Big-box stores are vast dens of temptation, offering lots of everything at sale prices.
"People buy huge amounts of stuff and think they're saving money. But what happens is that it just takes up space, takes years to use up or it just spoils," Jones says.
Let lust lead you into spending
What can a little coveting hurt if no action is taken?
Lust can take many forms. Stereotypical but true, it would be hard to find more than a handful of women who hadn't longed for a particularly fetching pair of shoes or other frippery on occasion.
As for men, one need look no further than the swimsuit edition of a popular sports magazine or the covers of various lad mags and other even more risqué publications that grace the newsstands.
That particular facet of lust was so vexing in centuries past that it was widely believed the afflicted would suffer greatly in the afterlife.
That facet of lust often does contribute to debt -- a contemporary hell -- in the modern day.
"Pornography is a very large industry, but it is hidden," says Stuart Vyse, author of "Going Broke: Why Americans Can't Hold on to Their Money."
"The fact that it is hidden makes it hugely popular because you can engage in it without anybody knowing."
And the Internet has made it very easy for people to indulge with little immediate consequence.
According to Vyse, it's estimated that Americans spend between $10 billion and $13 billion on adult entertainment.
That's a lot of money that might be put to better use in retirement accounts across the country.
Copyrighted, Bankrate.com. All rights reserved.
What I find even more funny about this article is that if religious people that are thrifty tell you to save and if they made up some story about how you'd "pay" in an afterlife for your sins of greed or whatever, most people would debunk it. However, on the other hand, if it was some Hollywood actor or rich designer touting it, I bet people would be like, "Ahhh...words of wisdom to live by."
Americans are so fickle aren't we?
Monday, March 3, 2008
The Canon of St Andrew
I'm going to write today about the importance of Lent. This is basically one of the the cornerstones of the Orthodox faith. I'll start with a definition of Lent from wikipedia:
"Lent, in most Christian denominations, is the forty-day liturgical season of fasting and prayer before Easter.[1] The forty days represent the time Jesus spent in the desert, where, according to the Bible, he endured temptation by Satan.[2] Different churches calculate the forty days differently.
The purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer—through prayer, penitence, almsgiving and self-denial—for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus, which recalls the events linked to the Passion of Christ and culminates in Easter, the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ."
There are differences between how East and West observe Lent, which are as follows:
"In Western Christianity, but with the exception of the Archdiocese of Milan which follows the Ambrosian Rite, Lent lasts from Ash Wednesday through Holy Saturday.[3] [1] The six Sundays in Lent are not counted among the forty days because each Sunday represents a "mini-Easter", a celebration of Jesus' victory over sin and death.[2]
In those churches which follow the Byzantine tradition (e.g. Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholics), the forty days of Lent are calculated differently: the fast begins on Clean Monday, Sundays are included in the count, and it ends on the Friday before Palm Sunday. The days of Lazarus Saturday, Palm Sunday and Holy Week are considered a distinct period of fasting."
Most pre-Lenten festivals are pagan in origin and are used today as a celebration of excess before Lent officially begins. My opinion on this is that it's really just an excuse to be slovenly and party til you drop instead of focusing on what is the most important issue: Christ's suffering on the Cross for our salvation. Also, things like Carnivale and Mardi Gras are, again, fueled by money and the tourism trade and it becomes more of an acceptable "pilgrimage" to participate in one of these events rather than to be a part of something much bigger, and far more important. But I digress.
The Canon of St. Andrew of Crete is the main supplemental teaching text during the Sundays of Great Lent. I found this from monachos.net:
"The Great Canon of St Andrew is read each year as part of the ascetic labour of the Great Fast (Lent). Divided into four portions, these are read during the services of Great Compline on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings of the First Week ('Pure/Clean Week') of the Fast. The whole Canon is then read in its entirety on Thursday of the Fifth Week (actually read 'in anticipation' on Wednesday evening).
The Great Canon is one of the great works, if not the great work, of the Church's hymnography of repentance. It is steeped in biblical imagery, yet it is not simply a condensation of biblical themes. In the Canon, all the human events of scripture—creation, fall, exile, return, longing, redemption—all are made personal. They become my events: my creation, my fall, my redemption. Their story is my story, and I am made intensely aware of all its depth. The Canon begins:
'Where shall I begin to weep over the cursed deeds of my life?
What foundation shall I lay, O Christ, for this lamentation?'
The Canon thus brings each of us into the story of scripture; stirs us with moving imagery to realize the depths of our sin. We begin to see our exile, our distance from Christ; and from that distance, we begin to repent."
I wish this could be taught to all Christians.
"Lent, in most Christian denominations, is the forty-day liturgical season of fasting and prayer before Easter.[1] The forty days represent the time Jesus spent in the desert, where, according to the Bible, he endured temptation by Satan.[2] Different churches calculate the forty days differently.
The purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer—through prayer, penitence, almsgiving and self-denial—for the annual commemoration during Holy Week of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus, which recalls the events linked to the Passion of Christ and culminates in Easter, the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ."
There are differences between how East and West observe Lent, which are as follows:
"In Western Christianity, but with the exception of the Archdiocese of Milan which follows the Ambrosian Rite, Lent lasts from Ash Wednesday through Holy Saturday.[3] [1] The six Sundays in Lent are not counted among the forty days because each Sunday represents a "mini-Easter", a celebration of Jesus' victory over sin and death.[2]
In those churches which follow the Byzantine tradition (e.g. Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholics), the forty days of Lent are calculated differently: the fast begins on Clean Monday, Sundays are included in the count, and it ends on the Friday before Palm Sunday. The days of Lazarus Saturday, Palm Sunday and Holy Week are considered a distinct period of fasting."
Most pre-Lenten festivals are pagan in origin and are used today as a celebration of excess before Lent officially begins. My opinion on this is that it's really just an excuse to be slovenly and party til you drop instead of focusing on what is the most important issue: Christ's suffering on the Cross for our salvation. Also, things like Carnivale and Mardi Gras are, again, fueled by money and the tourism trade and it becomes more of an acceptable "pilgrimage" to participate in one of these events rather than to be a part of something much bigger, and far more important. But I digress.
The Canon of St. Andrew of Crete is the main supplemental teaching text during the Sundays of Great Lent. I found this from monachos.net:
"The Great Canon of St Andrew is read each year as part of the ascetic labour of the Great Fast (Lent). Divided into four portions, these are read during the services of Great Compline on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings of the First Week ('Pure/Clean Week') of the Fast. The whole Canon is then read in its entirety on Thursday of the Fifth Week (actually read 'in anticipation' on Wednesday evening).
The Great Canon is one of the great works, if not the great work, of the Church's hymnography of repentance. It is steeped in biblical imagery, yet it is not simply a condensation of biblical themes. In the Canon, all the human events of scripture—creation, fall, exile, return, longing, redemption—all are made personal. They become my events: my creation, my fall, my redemption. Their story is my story, and I am made intensely aware of all its depth. The Canon begins:
'Where shall I begin to weep over the cursed deeds of my life?
What foundation shall I lay, O Christ, for this lamentation?'
The Canon thus brings each of us into the story of scripture; stirs us with moving imagery to realize the depths of our sin. We begin to see our exile, our distance from Christ; and from that distance, we begin to repent."
I wish this could be taught to all Christians.
Friday, February 29, 2008
7 Must Have Electronics (according to Yahoo shopping)
Okay, as if our economy isn't in the dumps enough and we should all be exercising caution in the "need vs want" spending category, here comes another shove it down my throat (a la "gimme gimme") "But I can fab up my home with these!" the ads say from Glam.com. This will no doubt appeal to those that possess poor buying skills and are so caught up in this buying binge that has so many of us in a stranglehold, up to our teeth in debt and can't pay the mortgage. Okay, here we go!
Essential Home Electronics
from Glam.com
We've got a weakness for glam gadgets, especially those that offer a simplified, sleek approach to everyday tasks and simultaneously up your home's fab factor. Give in to your techie temptations-and keep up with the home-electronics current-with these seven super -cool essentials.
(Keep up with those Jonesies!!!!!!!)
Bose SoundDock Digital Music System
Enjoy your tunes inside or alfresco with this mega-powered system that bellows enough rich, clear sound waves to fill even your biggest room. (The bass booms.) Simply pop your iPod into the cradle, press Play, and rock out.
(Bose is overrated. Try Klipsch instead for a lot less money! Their ipod systems range from $150-$300. Bose runs about $400.)
Canon Powershot A560 Digital Camera
From life's most well-planned occasions to last-minute memories in the making, this digital camera captures any moment with incredible clarity, thanks to its whopping 7.1 megapixel resolution. Keep it handy for spontaneous snaps around the house, or take it wherever you roam.
(Canon ain't the only guy out there. Comparison shop with other makers like Olympus, Panasonic and even Fuji.)
Canon PIXMA MP970 Photo All-in-One Printer
When it's time to transfer your digital pictures from the pixel to the page, this all-in-one system is the choice of home-printing champions. It produces the crispest 4"x6" pictures directly from your camera's memory card in seconds and has copy and scanning capabilities to boot.
(Need I repeat myself? HP makes some good stuff too.)
Curves Digital Glass Scale
Step on up-and on-to this high-tech scale, which measures weight down to the last 10th of a pound. The large LCD screen instantly and accurately displays the results-whether you like them or not. Best of all, the sleek, modern design won't weigh down your bathroom decor.
(Okay this gets my "most ridiculous" vote. Why not just buy a regular scale instead and save all that money?)
Alessi Stainless-Steel Cordless Electric Kettle
Skip the stove and fire up this Michael Graves-designed electric kettle. When its contents come to full boil, the little birdie perched atop the pour spout sings-and the system automatically turns itself off. (Aww isn't that cute...well let's see how much that little birdie is gonna cost us!)
(Okay this might have to share the vote with the scale. The price range on this baby is about $200-$235. Are you kidding me??? That's about as ridiculous as spending $300 on a Dualite toaster. If you want a good electric kettle, buy a Breville, Krups or something similar for less than $80. I would say just buy the good ol stovetop kind but even those are going up in price in favor of the more modern looks. The main advantages to having an electric kettle are that they have the auto shutoff feature and can boil water quicker. That's it! Do you need to spend $235 to have that? Come on.)
Sephora Professional Cordless Straightener
In addition to creating super-straight, glossy locks, this cordless hair straightener rocks innovative features rarely found on other flatirons, like automatic safety shutoff, three temperature levels, infrared heat drying, a car charger, and a heat-protection bag for safe stashing.
(A car charger????? Is this just in case you need to do your hair while driving and talking on your cell phone? This item goes for a cool $225. Buy one at Target or Best Buy for about $30 instead. Sure it won't have the car charger, but then again you don't need a ticket. Or worse.)
Illuminations Electric Aroma Diffuser
Plug this discreet scent diffuser into any electrical out outlet to fill a room with soothing fragrance-without overpowering it with perfume. The small pots of essential oils, which last for up to 30 days, create a calming environment with their aromatherapy qualities.
(Just like Glade plug ins on steroids. $17 not including the oils. Now march yourself into Pier 1 instead and get some reed diffusers. They look a lot nicer out on your countertop anyway, and one bottle of the stuff can go a lot farther than having to shell out $100 to outfit your home with these.)
STOP!!!!! Decide what you NEED, and ignore the rest. Sounds pretty easy doesn't it? And look, you might even have some money left over to pay down that credit card or mortgage!!!! Glam.com really needs to be more responsible. Hey, if we gotta be "green" hows about promoting "save the green" as well???
Essential Home Electronics
from Glam.com
We've got a weakness for glam gadgets, especially those that offer a simplified, sleek approach to everyday tasks and simultaneously up your home's fab factor. Give in to your techie temptations-and keep up with the home-electronics current-with these seven super -cool essentials.
(Keep up with those Jonesies!!!!!!!)
Bose SoundDock Digital Music System
Enjoy your tunes inside or alfresco with this mega-powered system that bellows enough rich, clear sound waves to fill even your biggest room. (The bass booms.) Simply pop your iPod into the cradle, press Play, and rock out.
(Bose is overrated. Try Klipsch instead for a lot less money! Their ipod systems range from $150-$300. Bose runs about $400.)
Canon Powershot A560 Digital Camera
From life's most well-planned occasions to last-minute memories in the making, this digital camera captures any moment with incredible clarity, thanks to its whopping 7.1 megapixel resolution. Keep it handy for spontaneous snaps around the house, or take it wherever you roam.
(Canon ain't the only guy out there. Comparison shop with other makers like Olympus, Panasonic and even Fuji.)
Canon PIXMA MP970 Photo All-in-One Printer
When it's time to transfer your digital pictures from the pixel to the page, this all-in-one system is the choice of home-printing champions. It produces the crispest 4"x6" pictures directly from your camera's memory card in seconds and has copy and scanning capabilities to boot.
(Need I repeat myself? HP makes some good stuff too.)
Curves Digital Glass Scale
Step on up-and on-to this high-tech scale, which measures weight down to the last 10th of a pound. The large LCD screen instantly and accurately displays the results-whether you like them or not. Best of all, the sleek, modern design won't weigh down your bathroom decor.
(Okay this gets my "most ridiculous" vote. Why not just buy a regular scale instead and save all that money?)
Alessi Stainless-Steel Cordless Electric Kettle
Skip the stove and fire up this Michael Graves-designed electric kettle. When its contents come to full boil, the little birdie perched atop the pour spout sings-and the system automatically turns itself off. (Aww isn't that cute...well let's see how much that little birdie is gonna cost us!)
(Okay this might have to share the vote with the scale. The price range on this baby is about $200-$235. Are you kidding me??? That's about as ridiculous as spending $300 on a Dualite toaster. If you want a good electric kettle, buy a Breville, Krups or something similar for less than $80. I would say just buy the good ol stovetop kind but even those are going up in price in favor of the more modern looks. The main advantages to having an electric kettle are that they have the auto shutoff feature and can boil water quicker. That's it! Do you need to spend $235 to have that? Come on.)
Sephora Professional Cordless Straightener
In addition to creating super-straight, glossy locks, this cordless hair straightener rocks innovative features rarely found on other flatirons, like automatic safety shutoff, three temperature levels, infrared heat drying, a car charger, and a heat-protection bag for safe stashing.
(A car charger????? Is this just in case you need to do your hair while driving and talking on your cell phone? This item goes for a cool $225. Buy one at Target or Best Buy for about $30 instead. Sure it won't have the car charger, but then again you don't need a ticket. Or worse.)
Illuminations Electric Aroma Diffuser
Plug this discreet scent diffuser into any electrical out outlet to fill a room with soothing fragrance-without overpowering it with perfume. The small pots of essential oils, which last for up to 30 days, create a calming environment with their aromatherapy qualities.
(Just like Glade plug ins on steroids. $17 not including the oils. Now march yourself into Pier 1 instead and get some reed diffusers. They look a lot nicer out on your countertop anyway, and one bottle of the stuff can go a lot farther than having to shell out $100 to outfit your home with these.)
STOP!!!!! Decide what you NEED, and ignore the rest. Sounds pretty easy doesn't it? And look, you might even have some money left over to pay down that credit card or mortgage!!!! Glam.com really needs to be more responsible. Hey, if we gotta be "green" hows about promoting "save the green" as well???
Monday, February 25, 2008
I'm a little late on this, but...
The Texas Courts ruled in favor of freedom in January when David and Shannon Croft lost their case trying to ban the moment of silence in Texas Schools. Here's the complete article from Dallasnews.com:
Texas schools' moment of silence upheld after Carrollton couple's challenge
Judge says law doesn't mandate prayer
8:46 AM CST on Saturday, January 5, 2008
By STEPHANIE SANDOVAL / The Dallas Morning News
ssandoval@dallasnews.com
A Carrollton couple's court challenge to Texas' requirement that schoolchildren observe a minute of silence has failed.
David and Shannon Croft had sued Gov. Rick Perry and the Carrollton-Farmers Branch school district, alleging that the law was unconstitutional and amounted to required prayer.
But U.S. District Judge Barbara M.G. Lynn in Dallas upheld the statute this week.
She said the law – amended in 2003 to add the word "pray" to "reflect" and "meditate" as options for students' use of the minute – does not promote an "excessive entanglement between government and religion."
"The Legislature amended the statute to provide a period of time for the full panoply of thoughtful contemplation," Judge Lynn said. "The primary effect of the amendment is not to advance or inhibit religion."
Dean Cook, attorney for the plaintiffs, said he was disappointed in the opinion but respects the judge.
"Whether we're going to appeal at this point, we're going to have to discuss that and see what we want to do," he said.
Meanwhile, he has another case pending in state district court, in which the Crofts have sued the governor over the addition of "one state, under God" to the pledge of allegiance to the Texas flag.
Ellen Johnson, president of American Atheists, said she wasn't surprised by the ruling. But she expects more challenges to similar statutes around the country.
"Secular students, atheist students, are not happy with this, and they're going to challenge it in every way possible," she said.
She said students who want to pray can do so by their locker or at their desk at any time, and there's no reason to stop the school day.
"Basically, what it is is a way to silence everyone else while those who want to pray can pray," she said. "Everyone knows what this is all about, and we pretend that it's not what it really is. It's really about starting the school day off with prayer."
Judge Lynn said in her ruling that there is no doubt that some legislators, including the bill's sponsor, Sen. Jeff Wentworth, R-San Antonio, had expressed a desire with the bill to put prayer back in schools.
But she said it was also clear that the Legislature intended to draft a constitutional law and that the addition of the word "pray" was not an endorsement of religion or prayer in the classroom. That finding is further supported by a catch-all provision that allows students to engage in any kind of silent activity or thought during that minute, she said.
Lisa Graybill, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, said her organization was not involved in the case but had watched it closely.
"I think we might disagree with the outcome of the analysis had we been part of the case, but we were not," she said. But she said that the judge did a thorough job of reviewing the legislative history and the intent of the law.
"I think it's a really thorough opinion," she said.
Because the judge acknowledged that her decision was a "close" call, Ms. Graybill said, she is interested in seeing whether the plaintiffs will appeal.
And though the judge ruled that the law itself is constitutional, that won't prevent someone from filing a lawsuit alleging that a school's implementation of it is unconstitutional. An example of that might be if teachers or school administrators said the moment of silence was specifically for prayer.
The governor said in a written statement that justice was served in the ruling.
"I am proud that Texas' children will continue to be able to have a moment dedicated daily to their innermost thoughts and contemplations," Mr. Perry said.
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott also praised the decision.
"Particularly in an age where children are so frequently confronted with violence and disorder, 60 seconds of quiet contemplation at the beginning of each day is not too much to ask," he said in a statement.
The Crofts have repeatedly failed to return phone calls from reporters. But over the years, Mr. Croft has fought several signs of religion at Rosemeade Elementary, which his children attended.
The family successfully asked that "Silent Night" be dropped from a holiday program and objected to an "In God We Trust" poster on the wall.
On his blog, Mr. Croft wrote that the minute of silence is a waste of educational time and has no secular purpose.
Liberty Legal Institute, a Plano-based legal organization that protects religious freedoms and First Amendment rights, called the court ruling a "great victory."
"The ultimate intolerance is someone attacking a moment of silence because they are worried others will decide to pray in their free time," chief counsel Kelly Shackelford said in a written statement. "This is a victory for everyone who believes in freedom."
The school district was dismissed from the lawsuit in August because the plaintiffs were challenging the constitutionality of the state statute, not the district's policy.
But Carrollton-Farmers Branch school officials expressed relief at the news Friday.
"Our perspective was this is primarily a state law," school board President John Tepper said. "As a district, we and our employees, teachers in particular, were just doing our best to comply with the state's requirements there. We're pleased they didn't find any problems on our part in that regard."
Schools superintendent Annette Griffin said that every morning, after the pledges of allegiance to the U.S. and state flags, each campus calls for a minute of silence. She said students are free to do what they want during that minute, as long as they are quiet and don't interfere with others' thoughts, contemplation or prayers.
"During that time, you can pray, you can not pray, you can pray to whoever you want to, or you can just be silent," Dr. Griffin said. "They can use that moment to think about whatever they want."
I think anyone could have predicted the outcome of this. But even though the Crofts lost, it must serve as a warning to those that want to protect basic religious freedoms in this country, and illustrate that we must WAKE UP to what is happening to the world around us.
There are those that want NO religion, NO borders, just an international body and activist judges to run our country. Heck, even Berkley CA is running off the Marines. Same Marines that die for their freedoms every day. Sound like a return to Franco and/or Lenin? Talk to some people that went through that era and ask them if they think it's best for the USA to go for that. My theory is that the people that are pushing for this aren't old enough to remember or haven't studied enough history to understand what's really at stake here.
Students have the right to use that contemplative minute in school however they want. That's FREEDOM. It's NOT, "get out your bibles everybody, and read John 3:16." There is a DIFFERENCE!
To try and overturn this law IMHO amounts to FASCISM. Everyone in that school district needs to have some cojones and stand up for what is RIGHT and not bend to these attempts to erase basic freedoms in our schools.
And that's my post for today.
Texas schools' moment of silence upheld after Carrollton couple's challenge
Judge says law doesn't mandate prayer
8:46 AM CST on Saturday, January 5, 2008
By STEPHANIE SANDOVAL / The Dallas Morning News
ssandoval@dallasnews.com
A Carrollton couple's court challenge to Texas' requirement that schoolchildren observe a minute of silence has failed.
David and Shannon Croft had sued Gov. Rick Perry and the Carrollton-Farmers Branch school district, alleging that the law was unconstitutional and amounted to required prayer.
But U.S. District Judge Barbara M.G. Lynn in Dallas upheld the statute this week.
She said the law – amended in 2003 to add the word "pray" to "reflect" and "meditate" as options for students' use of the minute – does not promote an "excessive entanglement between government and religion."
"The Legislature amended the statute to provide a period of time for the full panoply of thoughtful contemplation," Judge Lynn said. "The primary effect of the amendment is not to advance or inhibit religion."
Dean Cook, attorney for the plaintiffs, said he was disappointed in the opinion but respects the judge.
"Whether we're going to appeal at this point, we're going to have to discuss that and see what we want to do," he said.
Meanwhile, he has another case pending in state district court, in which the Crofts have sued the governor over the addition of "one state, under God" to the pledge of allegiance to the Texas flag.
Ellen Johnson, president of American Atheists, said she wasn't surprised by the ruling. But she expects more challenges to similar statutes around the country.
"Secular students, atheist students, are not happy with this, and they're going to challenge it in every way possible," she said.
She said students who want to pray can do so by their locker or at their desk at any time, and there's no reason to stop the school day.
"Basically, what it is is a way to silence everyone else while those who want to pray can pray," she said. "Everyone knows what this is all about, and we pretend that it's not what it really is. It's really about starting the school day off with prayer."
Judge Lynn said in her ruling that there is no doubt that some legislators, including the bill's sponsor, Sen. Jeff Wentworth, R-San Antonio, had expressed a desire with the bill to put prayer back in schools.
But she said it was also clear that the Legislature intended to draft a constitutional law and that the addition of the word "pray" was not an endorsement of religion or prayer in the classroom. That finding is further supported by a catch-all provision that allows students to engage in any kind of silent activity or thought during that minute, she said.
Lisa Graybill, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, said her organization was not involved in the case but had watched it closely.
"I think we might disagree with the outcome of the analysis had we been part of the case, but we were not," she said. But she said that the judge did a thorough job of reviewing the legislative history and the intent of the law.
"I think it's a really thorough opinion," she said.
Because the judge acknowledged that her decision was a "close" call, Ms. Graybill said, she is interested in seeing whether the plaintiffs will appeal.
And though the judge ruled that the law itself is constitutional, that won't prevent someone from filing a lawsuit alleging that a school's implementation of it is unconstitutional. An example of that might be if teachers or school administrators said the moment of silence was specifically for prayer.
The governor said in a written statement that justice was served in the ruling.
"I am proud that Texas' children will continue to be able to have a moment dedicated daily to their innermost thoughts and contemplations," Mr. Perry said.
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott also praised the decision.
"Particularly in an age where children are so frequently confronted with violence and disorder, 60 seconds of quiet contemplation at the beginning of each day is not too much to ask," he said in a statement.
The Crofts have repeatedly failed to return phone calls from reporters. But over the years, Mr. Croft has fought several signs of religion at Rosemeade Elementary, which his children attended.
The family successfully asked that "Silent Night" be dropped from a holiday program and objected to an "In God We Trust" poster on the wall.
On his blog, Mr. Croft wrote that the minute of silence is a waste of educational time and has no secular purpose.
Liberty Legal Institute, a Plano-based legal organization that protects religious freedoms and First Amendment rights, called the court ruling a "great victory."
"The ultimate intolerance is someone attacking a moment of silence because they are worried others will decide to pray in their free time," chief counsel Kelly Shackelford said in a written statement. "This is a victory for everyone who believes in freedom."
The school district was dismissed from the lawsuit in August because the plaintiffs were challenging the constitutionality of the state statute, not the district's policy.
But Carrollton-Farmers Branch school officials expressed relief at the news Friday.
"Our perspective was this is primarily a state law," school board President John Tepper said. "As a district, we and our employees, teachers in particular, were just doing our best to comply with the state's requirements there. We're pleased they didn't find any problems on our part in that regard."
Schools superintendent Annette Griffin said that every morning, after the pledges of allegiance to the U.S. and state flags, each campus calls for a minute of silence. She said students are free to do what they want during that minute, as long as they are quiet and don't interfere with others' thoughts, contemplation or prayers.
"During that time, you can pray, you can not pray, you can pray to whoever you want to, or you can just be silent," Dr. Griffin said. "They can use that moment to think about whatever they want."
I think anyone could have predicted the outcome of this. But even though the Crofts lost, it must serve as a warning to those that want to protect basic religious freedoms in this country, and illustrate that we must WAKE UP to what is happening to the world around us.
There are those that want NO religion, NO borders, just an international body and activist judges to run our country. Heck, even Berkley CA is running off the Marines. Same Marines that die for their freedoms every day. Sound like a return to Franco and/or Lenin? Talk to some people that went through that era and ask them if they think it's best for the USA to go for that. My theory is that the people that are pushing for this aren't old enough to remember or haven't studied enough history to understand what's really at stake here.
Students have the right to use that contemplative minute in school however they want. That's FREEDOM. It's NOT, "get out your bibles everybody, and read John 3:16." There is a DIFFERENCE!
To try and overturn this law IMHO amounts to FASCISM. Everyone in that school district needs to have some cojones and stand up for what is RIGHT and not bend to these attempts to erase basic freedoms in our schools.
And that's my post for today.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Preparing for Lent and Pascha
Let's see, where to begin? I have so many things I need to give up for Lent. This is my very first time to observe it officially as an Orthodox, so I'm sure to have a lot of curveballs. Here goes...
1) Sodas (Wow, I think I might have dangerous withdrawal symptoms there LOL. Look out!)
2) My cynical attitude towards the world (That's a tough one! I need a lot of prayer there, but I do call it as I see it, so maybe that's actually a good thing!)
3) World of Warcraft (Okay, so maybe I can do without that for 40 days)
4) Spending more time in prayer and the Scriptures. I don't care who you are, we could all use more of that IMHO
5) Re-examine my walk with Christ (I do this every year at Christmas, I just need to do it at Lent in addition.)
6) Of course, follow all the dietary restrictions
7) Give more of myself to the community
8) Attend my Catechumen classes and be attentive
I'm sure I will think of more.
This year I'm preparing a Pascha basket. In the Russian Orthodox tradition, which is what I observe, you make your Easter basket with all the good things representing that which Christ has given us. A sausage, cheese, bread, horseradish, butter, and just whatever else you would like to have blessed. A beautiful tradition is the red eggs. You give another parishioner an egg to symbolize Christ's resurrection. The egg represents new life, and as a "forbidden food" it celebrates the end of Lent in a special way. Red of course represents blood.
There are many theories about how the red Easter egg originated, including pagan traditions and a story about Mary Magdalene supposedly going to the Emporer of Rome and he said, "Christ has no more risen than the egg on that table is red." Funny how that parallels with so much of society's thinking today.
I'm going to decorate mine with some Russian folk fairytale and Orthodox cathedral wraps, so they'll look really awesome. (I hope!) Coveting is considered a great sin, and I am guilty as much as the next person. I love beautiful Faberge eggs and wish I had a whole cabinet filled with them. When I visited the Armory Museum in Moscow years ago, I fell in love with Imperialist art, Faberge eggs and the treasures of the Czarist empire. I don't agree with the political climate it carried, but nonetheless, there is no way the British monarchy would have anything on these guys when it comes to pomp, pageantry and displaying your wealth.
But the real reason we celebrate Pascha is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It's not about the pretty eggs, or blessing of baskets, fancy foods, etc. Those are traditions handed down and are great to observe, but we must not forget what Easter really is. Forget all the Wal Mart grass, chocolate bunnies, and egg hunts...those are mainly fueled by corporate greed and an unleashed assault on the American buyer's psyche.
All over the world, Christians are accused of being stupid for their belief in Christ. All over the world, Christians die every day because of belief in a simple carpenter that was sent to the Earth to die for our sins. I would like for someone to tell me how this is such a horrible and terrible thing that is going to destroy mankind??? We, as humans, have made it a bad thing by starting wars in His name and forcing Him upon others, when His gift is free to receive. All that is required of us as Christians is merely to plant the seed. Around me I see professionals: doctors, lawyers, CPAs in my parish that will emphatically proclaim their belief in Christ. According to "the world," are these people stupid and ignorant? To those that have not accepted Christ: Would you not take your kid to a pediatrician that believed in Jesus? Use an accountant that had a cross displayed on his desk? Disregard a scientist's opinion because he says he believes in a Creator? Those that hold that Christ is just a "fairytale" in a book are sentencing themselves to something far worse than we can imagine here on Earth. No amount of science or what man has discovered will be enough to keep you separated from the eternal kingdom and rewards that we can each receive. All you have to do is believe and receive.
"Science is merely God's gift to humanity to understand His creation."
--Me
There I go again with my cynicism.
1) Sodas (Wow, I think I might have dangerous withdrawal symptoms there LOL. Look out!)
2) My cynical attitude towards the world (That's a tough one! I need a lot of prayer there, but I do call it as I see it, so maybe that's actually a good thing!)
3) World of Warcraft (Okay, so maybe I can do without that for 40 days)
4) Spending more time in prayer and the Scriptures. I don't care who you are, we could all use more of that IMHO
5) Re-examine my walk with Christ (I do this every year at Christmas, I just need to do it at Lent in addition.)
6) Of course, follow all the dietary restrictions
7) Give more of myself to the community
8) Attend my Catechumen classes and be attentive
I'm sure I will think of more.
This year I'm preparing a Pascha basket. In the Russian Orthodox tradition, which is what I observe, you make your Easter basket with all the good things representing that which Christ has given us. A sausage, cheese, bread, horseradish, butter, and just whatever else you would like to have blessed. A beautiful tradition is the red eggs. You give another parishioner an egg to symbolize Christ's resurrection. The egg represents new life, and as a "forbidden food" it celebrates the end of Lent in a special way. Red of course represents blood.
There are many theories about how the red Easter egg originated, including pagan traditions and a story about Mary Magdalene supposedly going to the Emporer of Rome and he said, "Christ has no more risen than the egg on that table is red." Funny how that parallels with so much of society's thinking today.
I'm going to decorate mine with some Russian folk fairytale and Orthodox cathedral wraps, so they'll look really awesome. (I hope!) Coveting is considered a great sin, and I am guilty as much as the next person. I love beautiful Faberge eggs and wish I had a whole cabinet filled with them. When I visited the Armory Museum in Moscow years ago, I fell in love with Imperialist art, Faberge eggs and the treasures of the Czarist empire. I don't agree with the political climate it carried, but nonetheless, there is no way the British monarchy would have anything on these guys when it comes to pomp, pageantry and displaying your wealth.
But the real reason we celebrate Pascha is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It's not about the pretty eggs, or blessing of baskets, fancy foods, etc. Those are traditions handed down and are great to observe, but we must not forget what Easter really is. Forget all the Wal Mart grass, chocolate bunnies, and egg hunts...those are mainly fueled by corporate greed and an unleashed assault on the American buyer's psyche.
All over the world, Christians are accused of being stupid for their belief in Christ. All over the world, Christians die every day because of belief in a simple carpenter that was sent to the Earth to die for our sins. I would like for someone to tell me how this is such a horrible and terrible thing that is going to destroy mankind??? We, as humans, have made it a bad thing by starting wars in His name and forcing Him upon others, when His gift is free to receive. All that is required of us as Christians is merely to plant the seed. Around me I see professionals: doctors, lawyers, CPAs in my parish that will emphatically proclaim their belief in Christ. According to "the world," are these people stupid and ignorant? To those that have not accepted Christ: Would you not take your kid to a pediatrician that believed in Jesus? Use an accountant that had a cross displayed on his desk? Disregard a scientist's opinion because he says he believes in a Creator? Those that hold that Christ is just a "fairytale" in a book are sentencing themselves to something far worse than we can imagine here on Earth. No amount of science or what man has discovered will be enough to keep you separated from the eternal kingdom and rewards that we can each receive. All you have to do is believe and receive.
"Science is merely God's gift to humanity to understand His creation."
--Me
There I go again with my cynicism.
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