Good-bye, December

It won't be long.  Just a couple more days.  And......you will be gone.  Along with 2018.  You have been good.  You are always good.  You are always special.  I know: you are just a month.  The twelfth one of every year.  The last one of every year.  But what a month.  What a cheerful month you are.  And yes, sad for some.  How ironic.  I once heard a convict who was being interviewed for a documentary about prison life in the state facility where he was serving his time......a long time.  He spoke from the heart.  He declared:  "I miss the Decembers.  I miss the Christmases."  It is interesting to note that he didn't say: "I miss Christmas."  I perceive that he was trying to get the most of his memories.  He remembered different Christmases.  He distinguished them.  He had the time to do it.  December, a time for friends, family, food, parties, fun, celebrations, laughter, Christmas carols, cards, desserts and much, much more.    Yes,  a great deal of money changes hands this month.  Lots and lots of shopping.  Many, many presents, and much activity in the streets and retail businesses.  This holiday is an influencer.  This holiday is powerful.  It will continue to be so.  Why?  Because it is the recognition, remembrance,  celebration, and honoring of the birth of the Messiah.  The King of kings, Lord of lords, Son of God, Savior, Emmanuel. (God with us).  It is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.  He is the visible image of the invisible God.  Yes, December will continue to be special.............as long as the birth of Jesus is celebrated.
 I have an idea:  *CELEBRATE JESUS EVERY DAY.  Celebrate His birthday in December.

*Why?  Because He is God.

"The Best Tombstone" (Spurgeon)

"A good character is the best tombstone.  Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered.  Carve your name on hearts, not on marble." Charles Spurgeon

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Letter From An Ex Slave

Dayton, Ohio     August 7, 1865        

       To My Old Master,   Colonel P.H. Anderson,         Big Spring, Tennessee

Sir: I got your letter, and was glad to find that you had not forgotten Jordon, and that you wanted me to come back and live with you again, promising to do better for me than anybody else can. I have often felt uneasy about you. I thought the Yankees would have hung you long before this, for harboring Rebs they found at your house. I suppose they never heard about your going to Colonel Martin's to kill the Union soldier that was left by his company in their stable. Although you shot at me twice before I left you, I did not want to hear of your being hurt, and am glad you are still living. It would do me good to go back to the dear old home again, and see Miss Mary and Miss Martha and Allen, Esther, Green, and Lee. Give my love to them all, and tell them I hope we will meet in the better world, if not in this. I would have gone back to see you all when I was working in the Nashville Hospital, but one of the neighbors told me that Henry intended to shoot me if he ever got a chance.  I want to know particularly what the good chance is you propose to give me. I am doing tolerably well here. I get twenty-five dollars a month, with victuals and clothing; have a comfortable home for Mandy, — the folks call her Mrs. Anderson, — and the children — Milly, Jane, and Grundy — go to school and are learning well. The teacher says Grundy has a head for a preacher. They go to Sunday school, and Mandy and me attend church regularly. We are kindly treated. Sometimes we overhear others saying, "Them colored people were slaves" down in Tennessee. The children feel hurt when they hear such remarks; but I tell them it was no disgrace in Tennessee to belong to Colonel Anderson. Many darkeys would have been proud, as I used to be, to call you master. Now if you will write and say what wages you will give me, I will be better able to decide whether it would be to my advantage to move back again.

As to my freedom, which you say I can have, there is nothing to be gained on that score, as I got my free papers in 1864 from the Provost-Marshal-General of the Department of Nashville. Mandy says she would be afraid to go back without some proof that you were disposed to treat us justly and kindly; and we have concluded to test your sincerity by asking you to send us our wages for the time we served you. This will make us forget and forgive old scores, and rely on your justice and friendship in the future. I served you faithfully for thirty-two years, and Mandy twenty years. At twenty-five dollars a month for me, and two dollars a week for Mandy, our earnings would amount to eleven thousand six hundred and eighty dollars. Add to this the interest for the time our wages have been kept back, and deduct what you paid for our clothing, and three doctor's visits to me, and pulling a tooth for Mandy, and the balance will show what we are in justice entitled to. Please send the money by Adams's Express, in care of V. Winters, Esq., Dayton, Ohio. If you fail to pay us for faithful labors in the past, we can have little faith in your promises in the future. We trust the good Maker has opened your eyes to the wrongs which you and your fathers have done to me and my fathers, in making us toil for you for generations without recompense. Here I draw my wages every Saturday night; but in Tennessee there was never any pay-day for the negroes any more than for the horses and cows. Surely there will be a day of reckoning for those who defraud the laborer of his hire.

In answering this letter, please state if there would be any safety for my Milly and Jane, who are now grown up, and both good-looking girls. You know how it was with poor Matilda and Catherine. I would rather stay here and starve — and die, if it come to that — than have my girls brought to shame by the violence and wickedness of their young masters. You will also please state if there has been any schools opened for the colored children in your neighborhood. The great desire of my life now is to give my children an education, and have them form virtuous habits.  Say howdy to George Carter, and thank him for taking the pistol from you when you were shooting at me.

From your old servant,

        Jordon Anderson

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Jefferson's Anger Toward Organized Religion (But Not Toward Jesus)

"Nothing can be more exactly and seriously true than what is there [the very words only of Jesus] stated; that but a short time elapsed after the death of the great reformer of the Jewish religion, before his principles were departed from by those who professed to be his special servants, and perverted into an engine for enslaving mankind, and aggrandising their oppressors in Church and State; that the purest system of morals ever before preached to man, has been adulterated and sophisticated by artificial constructions, into a mere contrivance to filch wealth and power to themselves; that rational men not being able to swallow their impious heresies, in order to force them down their throats, they raise the hue and cry of infidelity, while themselves are the greatest obstacles to the advancement of the real doctrines of Jesus, and do in fact constitute the real Anti-Christ." Thomas Jefferson


(1743-1826), US Founding Father, drafted the Declaration of Independence, 3rd US PresidentSource: letter to Samuel Kerchreview, January 19, 1810

Forgiveness (Five Points Of View)

Forgiveness is not always easy.
At times, it feels more painful
than the wound we suffered,
to forgive the one that inflicted it.
And yet, there is no peace without forgiveness.
- Marianne Williamson

Forgiveness means letting go of the hope for a better past.
- Lama Surya Das

Forgiveness ... is the finishing of old business
that allows us to experience the present,
free of contamination from the past.
- Joan Borysenko

The remedy for wrongs is to forget them.
- Publilius Syrus

 Forgive those who have injured you -
not because they deserve your forgiveness,
but because you can never be happy until
you release your anger and grant forgiveness.
Forgiving is not a gift to someone else -
Forgiving is your gift to yourself - a great gift - the gift of happiness.
- Jonathan Lockwood H

Poem In October By Dylan Thomas (Part II)

It turned away from the blithe country
And down the other air and the blue altered sky
Streamed again a wonder of summer
With apples
Pears and red currants
And I saw in the turning so clearly a child's
Forgotten mornings when he walked with his mother
Through the parables
Of sun light
And the legends of the green chapels

And the twice told fields of infancy
That his tears burned my cheeks and his heart moved in mine.
These were the woods the river and sea
Where a boy
In the listening
Summertime of the dead whispered the truth of his joy
To the trees and the stones and the fish in the tide.
And the mystery
Sang alive
Still in the water and singingbirds.

And there could I marvel my birthday
Away but the weather turned around. And the true
Joy of the long dead child sang burning
In the sun.
It was my thirtieth
Year to heaven stood there then in the summer noon
Though the town below lay leaved with October blood.
O may my heart's truth
Still be sung
On this high hill in a year's turning.

Poem In October By Dylan Thomas (part I)

It was my thirtieth year to heaven

It was my thirtieth year to heaven, Woke to my
hearing from harbour and neighbour wood       
And the mussel pooled and the heron Priested shore 
The morning beckon With water praying and call of
seagull and rook   And the knock of sailing boats on
the net webbed wall   Myself to set foot That second 
in the still sleeping town and set forth.

My birthday began with the water-Birds
and the birds of the winged trees flying my name
Above the farms and the white horses
And I rose In rainy autumn   And walked abroad in a
shower of all my days.   High tide and the heron dived
when I took the road Over the border And the gates
Of the town closed as the town awoke.

A springful of larks in a rolling Cloud and the roadside
bushes brimming with whistling  Blackbirds and the sun of
October Summery On the hill's shoulder,
Here were fond climates and sweet singers suddenly
Come in the morning where I wandered and listened
To the rain wringing Wind blow cold in the wood
faraway under me.

Pale rain over the dwindling harbour
And over the sea wet church the size of a snail
With its horns through mist and the castle
Brown as owls

Liberty Has Been Wounded (O.H. Kahn)

"As so often before, liberty has been wounded in the house of its friends.  Liberty in the wild and freakish hands of fanatics has once more, as frequently in the past, proved the effective helpmate of autocracy and the twin-brother of tyranny."



Otto Hermann Kahn   (1867-1934) German-born American investment banker, collector, philanthropist


 

Flee Lawlessness

Flee lawlessness, but BRING IN LAWFULNESS to where you go.   RD

God........He Is Also.............

 I believe in freedom.  I believe I am free to disagree.
Some things are just too important to worry about if someone does not agree with you.  I guess I am still holding on to "antiquated ideas of marriage," marriage "equality" and so called "tolerance."
Look..........God has stated in His Word that He is against homosexuality and lesbianism.  Such conduct is an abomination to Him.  So, who do I agree with?  God, or the proponents of behaviors that are in disagreement with the will and the teachings of God?  I am not God.  But if you disagree with me on this one, you also disagree with God.  I am not perfect, but God's ways are perfect.  Is society perfect?  No.  But God continues and continues and continues to be perfect.  He is holy.  Not only is He holy, He is also eternal.  He is not only eternal,  He is also omnipotent.  He is not only omnipotent, He is also righteous and just.  He is not only righteous and just, He is also LOVE.  That is a big one.  God gave me (us) a choice.  He loved me first.  I choose to love Him back.  How can I go wrong?  Look at His characteristics.  Who has them?  Nobody.  But we can try to be like Him.  He is able to equip us to do so.  Why would I purposely embrace, or agree with a lifestyle that I know does not please Him?
Marriage is between one man and one woman.  It always has been.  It always will be.  Sure, some people can try to change the definition.  But if it is not between one man and one woman.  It is not marriage.
It is something else.

November And Gratitude

Thankfulness and gratitude are very important.  Sharing is very important.  When we share, we provide not only material things, but we provide an opportunity for someone to be grateful for what they have received.  Gratitude, gratitude, gratitude.  So very important.  this is the month to focus on it.  What a concept.  It represents growth, recognition of reality, unselfishness, gratefulness and of course the blessing of receiving something.  It is good to receive.  But like someone very special said once: "It is more blessed to give than to receive."  Yes, November the month that focuses on gratitude and gratefulness.  How very important.

"Leave Me Alone," He Said

A man was recently arrested for some serious crimes.  He is an ex-convict who had served many years in prison for sexual crimes against children.  During questioning he declared:  "Leave me alone, I know I have a problem."  "Leave me alone?"  What an interesting comment/request .  Yes, he does have a problem.  His "problem"  involves giving other people (young and old) many, many problems.  Serious ones.  This man can say good-bye to his freedom for a long, long time.  Yes, I would say he has a problem. 

Two Quotes About Laws

"Positive laws are tyrannical. One's individual rights -- whether they be life, liberty, or property -- must be sacrificed by the state in order to fulfill the positive rights of another. For example, if housing is considered a "right," then the state will have to confiscate wealth (property) from those who have provided shelter for themselves in order to house those who have not.... True justice is realized when our lives, and property are secure, and we are free to express our thoughts without fear of retribution. Just laws are negative in nature; they exist to thwart the violation of our natural rights. Government ought to be the collective organization -- that is, the extension -- of the individual's right of self-defense, and its purpose to protect our lives, liberties, and property."  Mark Da Vee 


"The people must fight for their laws as for their walls."      Heraclitus (c.540-480 BC) Greek philosopher

"When The Swords Flash"

"When the swords flash let no idea of love, piety,  or even the face of your fathers move you."

 Gaius Julius Caesar       (100-44 B.C.) Dictator of the Roman Republic

7 Questions Preachers Should Ask

1. Am I worried about what people think of my message or what God thinks? (Teach with fear.) 2. Do I genuinely love these people? (Teach with love.) 3. Am I accurately presenting this passage? (Teach with accuracy.) 4. Am I depending on the Holy Spirit's power or my own cleverness? (Teach with power.) 5. Have I applied this message to my own life? (Teach with integrity.) 6. Will this message draw attention to me or to God? (Teach with humility.) 7. Do the people really need this message? (Teach with urgency.)

If You Want Less Crime

"Every crime is born of necessity.  If you want less crime, you must change the conditions.  Poverty makes 
crime.  Want, rags, crusts, misfortune - all these awake the wild beast in man, and finally he takes, and takes 
contrary to law, and becomes a criminal.  And what do you do with him?  You punish him.  Why not punish a man 
for having consumption?  The time will come when you will see that that is just as logical.  What do you do with 
the criminal?  You send him to the penitentiary.  Is he made better?  Worse.  The first thing you do is to try to 
trample out his manhood, by putting an indignity upon him.  You mark him.  You put him in stripes.  At night you 
put him in darkness.  His feeling for revenge grows.  You make a wild beast of him, and he comes out of that 
place branded in body and soul, and then you won't let him reform if he wants to."

Robert G. Ingersoll      (1833-1899) American lawyer

Robert G. Ingersoll speaks with arrogant pomposity.  He has much criticism to offer.  
Yet he offers no solutions.  RD

A Nation Without Borders?

A Nation without Borders?  A nation without borders is not a nation.  A nation without borders is a nation without government.  A nation without borders is a dream without substance.  A nation without borders is an attempt at paradise without a "ticket to paradise."  A nation without borders is an imaginary place created in the minds of some young people (and some who think they are young) who are "kicking back" in the small living room of a one bedroom apartment so thick with marijuana fumes it is difficult to see the person who is sitting across from you.  A nation without borders is a place where people want the benefits of a legitimate nation .................but they do not want the responsibilities.  No days like that.  RD

"There Is No Zeal Blinder"

"There is no zeal blinder than that which is inspired with a love of justice against offenders."
Henry Fielding(1707-1754)   



I am persuaded that zeal can be a negative thing/attitude.  However, I also believe that zeal can be a positive attribute.  A zeal for goodness, fairness and kindness exists.  Nevertheless, it must be tempered with truth and reason. Yes, zeal can be blind.  But zeal can also be accurate, necessary and timely.  What good can get done if zeal and enthusiasm do not exist and inspire?  I can relate to the quote above, by Henry Fielding, but I do not agree with it completely.    RD

An Outstanding Quote By John Adams

"It should be your care, therefore, and mine, to elevate the minds of our children and exalt their courage; to accelerate and animate their industry and activity; to excite in them an habitual contempt of meanness, abhorrence of injustice and inhumanity, and an ambition to excel in every capacity, faculty, and virtue.  If we 
suffer their minds to grovel and creep in infancy, they will grovel all their lives."

John Adams    (1735-1826)  Founding Father,    2nd US President

The Laws of Man

"The laws of man may bind him in chains or may put him to death, but they never can make him wise, virtuous, or happy."        
John Quincy Adams   (1767-1848)   6th US President

I think the above quote has a point.  However, obedience to the laws of the land can certainly allow a man to be free, not be locked up, not be in chains, or not be put to death.  Obedience to the law offers a person  more freedom to seek wisdom, virtue and happiness.  Most of the time, obedience offers benefits.  Incarceration, chains and death are not usually factors that produce  wisdom, virtue, and happiness.  I am fully aware that there are exceptions, however.    RD

Justice Hugo Black (A Quote)

"The public welfare demands that constitutional cases be decided according to the terms of the Constitution itself, and not according to judges' views of fairness, reasonableness, or justice."

Justice Hugo L. Black    (1886-1971)      US Supreme Court

"Don't Pass Out, Girl!"

just now

 Yes, sometimes they are caught, sometimes they are not caught.  An attractive drunk girl at a party? Lots of young men there who are in their late teens to early twenties? It is late.  The party is getting a little wilder by the minute.  Three unspoken "rules" come into play: 

1)  Respect yourself and you will likely be respected  2)  Do not get drunk and pass out. 3)  Do not pass up an "opportunity" when it presents itself. Sometimes those 3 "rules" clash with each other because they originate from different sources.  Additionally, there is a world of difference between sexual activity among consenting participants and a forced participant. (s)  Two words come to mind:  legal, illegal.  Sometimes those words are "erased" by booze. (and/or drugs)  Obey the law.  Obey the law, even if you are wealthy and famous.  Obey the law, even if you are faced with some serious pressures not to do so.  Obey the law, even if you are void of moral parameters.  Better yet: do not place yourself in a condition where you are not in charge of your faculties. 

Don't Brag

When a person brags about something, he is "stealing glory."  Man.....let others praise you.  Think of a beautiful day.  Sunny, nice breeze, agreeable temperature, it will inspire you.  It is a beautiful day.  It is a glorious day. It is not a "fake beautiful day."  Nature does not pretend, it produces.  So should we.  Glory will come.  No need to brag.  Accomplishments speak for themselves, just like the beautiful day, it speaks for itself.  Don't brag.

"When The Swords Flash"

"When the swords flash let no idea of love, piety,  or even the face of your fathers move you."
Gaius Julius Caesar    (100-44 B.C.) Dictator of the Roman Republic



"The people must fight for their laws as for their walls."      Heraclitus (c.540-480 BC) Greek philosopher

4 Quotes About Liberty

Liberty will not descend to a people,a people must raise themselves to liberty; it is a blessing that must be earned before it can be enjoyed."     Charles Caleb Colton



"The moment the slave resolves that he will no longer be a slave, his fetters fall. ... Freedom and slavery are mental states. Therefore, the first thing to say to yourself: 'I shall no longer accept the role of a slave. I shall not obey orders as such but shall disobey them when they are in conflict with my conscience."    MahatmaMohandas  

"Not being able to govern events, I govern myself."     Michel de Montaigne


"Freedom lies in being bold."   Robert Frost

It Must Be Repeated (Atheism vs Creation)

"It requires that supernatural causes and agents must be ruled out as scientific explanations for natural phenomena; (all proposed scientific explanations must be testable and repeatable) must be based on evidence and must obey physical laws.”

(The Creation of the world/universe cannot be repeated,) so NS* needs to avoid the Big Bang. They just admitted it’s not science.
(Evolution of life can’t be repeated,) so Evolution is not science.
The Great Flood can’t be repeated so they deny this ever happened.
The extinction of all life (whether by Flood or meteor) (can’t be repeated) so saying the dinosaurs got wiped out by a meteor isn’t science.

Their starting point isn’t observation, like real science, which would lead them to God. Their starting point is that everything we see happened on its own with no God or gods. They have already excluded God at the starting line. It’s dishonest of them to say that the science they found during the race led them to conclude there is no God.

For the naturalist**   “no God” isn’t a conclusion, or end point. It’s their starting point.

*     "natural science"
**   “natural man”.

1 Corinthians 2:14

"But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.     

"The People Must Fight For Their Laws"

"The people must fight for their laws as for their walls."      Heraclitus (c.540-480 BC) Greek philosopher



My comments on the above quote:


Yes, when the time comes for the people to fight for their laws they will actually fight for their value system, for their view of justice and for their freedom.  Why?  Because their laws are based on what they consider to be of importance.    R. Dominguez

Think Good Thoughts

A man is capable of  "thinking himself" into anger, depression, jealousy, lusting and frustration.  The five aforementioned are not usually positive or beneficial.   So, what is the solution?  It is simple.  Or, it is difficult.  It depends on two main factors.   They are the following.  1)  How serious one is about their cessation.  2)  Is one willing to do what it takes to overcome them?  Let us assume you are serious and willing.  Here is the solution:  Think good thoughts.  Train yourself to think good thoughts.  Does it sound simplistic?  Maybe.  Does it sound difficult?  Maybe.  Is it a good idea?  Of course it is.  And I do not mean "maybe."  Someone, long before we ever existed, shared it with us.  His ideas are the best.  "For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he."  (Prov. 23:7 a)  In other words we are being told: We are what we think about.  No, we are not necessarily what/who we think we are, that is a different concept.   As stated, we are what we think about.  So, what do we do about it?  Think good thoughts.

Extremism (Rick Gaber)

" 'Extremism' is a word deliberately chosen for its vagueness and used by intellectual snobs who are too desperate, sneaky or lazy to say exactly what they mean.  Its only purpose is to deliberately try to confuse the difference between people who are extremely good  (usually because of their devotion to their principles) with people who are extremely bad.  The sleazeballs who use this supposedly scary, yet undefined word are not only trying to smear people of conviction and integrity, but they are also trying to divert attention away from the fact that they are obviously not people of principle themselves."      Rick Gaber

"There Never Was A Good War"

""There never was a good war," said Franklin. There have indeed been many wars in which a good man must take part, and take part with grave gladness to die if need be, a willing sacrifice, thankful to give life for what is dearer than life, and happy that even by death in war he is serving the cause of peace. But if a war be undertaken for the most righteous end, before the resources of peace have been tried and proved vain to secure it, that war has no defense, it is a national crime."Charles Eliot Norton(1827-1908) American educator, writer, and editor who founded the Nation (1865)

Do Good Today

Do good today.  Help someone out today.  Practice kindness.  It will enrich your life.  You will not be sorry for doing it.  You will not regret it.  At least say a kind word to someone today.  Be sincere about it.  Make an effort within yourself to mean it.  It can only improve your day.  It can improve your life.  Make it a habit.  It is a good habit to have.  Help someone out.  Do good today.

Dulce Et Decorum Est

"Bent double, like beggars under old sacks, knock-kneed, coughing like hags, we cursed  through sludge, till on the haunting flares we turned our backs, and towards our distant rest began to trudge.  Men marched asleep.  Many had lost their boots, but limped on blood-shod.  All went lame; all blind; drunk with fatigue; deaf even to the hoots of tired, outstripped Five-Nines that dropped behind.   Gas! Gas!  Quick, boys! -- An ecstacy of fumbling, fitting the clumsy helmets just in time;   But someone still was yelling out and stumbling and floundering, like a man in fire or lime...Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light, As under a green sea, I saw him drowning.   In all my dreams, before my helpless sight,  He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning.  If in some smothering dreams you too could pace behind the wagon that we flung him in, and watch the white eyes writhing in his face.  His hanging face, like a devil's sick of sin.  If you could hear at every jolt, the blood come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs.  Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud of vile, incurable  sores on innocent tongues, -- My friend, you would not tell with such high zest to children ardent for some desperate glory, the old lie:
DULCE ET DECORUM EST PRO PATRIA MORI."        (caps mine)


"Dulce Et Decorum Est" is a poem written by Wilfred Owen, 2 weeks before he was killed in combat during World War I.  It was published posthumously in 1920.  The Latin title, translated into English, means: "How sweet and becoming it is to die for one's country."

Three Quotes By Frederic Bastiat

"If every person has the right to defend -- even by force -- his person, his liberty, and his property, then it follows that a group of men have the right to organize and support a common force to protect these rights constantly. Thus the principle of collective right -- its reason for existing, its lawfulness -- is based on individual right. And the common force that protects this collective right cannot logically have any other purpose or any other mission than that for which it acts as a substitute. Thus, since an individual cannot lawfully use force against the person, liberty, or property of another individual, then the common force -- for the same reason -- cannot lawfully be used to destroy the person, liberty, or property of individuals or groups."  
Frederic Bastiat  

"Life, faculties, production -- in other words, individuality, liberty, property -- this is man. And in spite of the cunning of artful political leaders, these three gifts from God precede all human legislation and are superior to it."
Frederic Bastiat

"Socialism, like the ancient ideas from which it springs, confuses the distinction between government and society. As a result of this, every time we object to a thing being done by government, the socialists conclude that we object to its being done at all."
Frederic Bastiat



(1801-1850) [Claude Frederic Bastiat] French economist, statesman, and author.  He did most of his writing during the years just before -- and immediately following -- the French Revolution of February 
1848  Source: "The Law" by Frederic Bastiat 

Gaining Sainthood?........Absolutely Not

Gaining sainthood?  Does the Bible talk about such a thing?  No, it does not.  No place in the Word of 
God does it speak of gaining "Sainthood."  It is a false doctrine.  A "saint", according to the Bible, is a 
member of the body of Jesus Christ, thus a member of His Church.  Therefore, a born again,
(regenerated) person is a saint.  This is in accordance to how the Word of God uses that term, not
necessarily how some religious organizations use that term.  The Word of God is the final authority. 
That is if you want to stick to the truth.  We are "called to be saints."  Please check the Epistle of
Romans 7:1.  Among others.

Lincoln's First Baseball Game

I have 9 grandchildren.  Two of them are grandsons.  The oldest is 6 years of age.  His name is Lincoln.  The youngest is 2 years of age.   His name is Benjamin.  Today, I plan to  attend Lincoln's first competitive baseball game.  He is ready to play some serious ball.  I expect great things from him.  Benjamin is also eager to play.  The other day he was walking around our back yard holding a bat.  He was swinging it the best he could.  We have some serious ballplayers in this family.

Natural Right

"The idea is quite unfounded, that on entering into society we give up any natural right."

Thomas Jefferson

The Gospel In US Jails And Prisons

In the US, jails and prisons allow visiting Christian representatives to hold worship services.
They teach and preach the Gospel of Jesus. They teach about regeneration. They teach about the fruit of the Holy Spirit which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control.  Those virtues help people become better human beings.  Jesus never ever encouraged anyone to murder someone else. The first Christian converts were all Jews.  The first Gentile convert in the history of Christianity was a Roman Soldier.  He was a Centurion.  His name was Cornelius.    The Bible is silent about his life after his conversion.

"There Never Was A Good War" (Charles Eliot Norton)

"There never was a good war," said Franklin.  There have indeed been many wars in  which a good man must take part, and take part with grave gladness to die if need be, a willing sacrifice, thankful to give life for what is dearer than life, and happy that even by death in war he is serving the cause of peace.  But if a war be undertaken for the most righteous end, before the resources of peace have been tried and proved vain to secure it, that war has no defense it is a national crime.     Charles Eliot Norton  (1827-1908)


"There is no zeal blinder than that which is inspired with a love of justice against offenders."
Henry Fielding     (1707-1754)     English novelist and dramatist


"The laws of man may bind him in chains or may put him to death, but they never can make him wise, virtuous, or happy."         
John Quincy Adams    (1767-1848)   6th US President


 "Every crime is born of necessity.  If you want less crime, you must change the conditions.  Poverty makes crime.  Want, rags, crusts, misfortune - all these awake the wild beast in man, and finally he takes, and takes contrary to law, and becomes a criminal.  And what do you do with him?  You punish him.  Why not punish a man for having consumption?  The time will come when you will see that that is just as logical.  What do you do with the criminal?  You send him to the penitentiary.  Is he made better?  Worse.  The first thing you do is to try to trample out his manhood, by putting an indignity upon him.  You mark him.  You put him in stripes.  At night you put him in darkness.  His feeling for revenge grows.  You make a wild beast of him, and he comes out of that place branded in body and soul, and then you won't let him reform if he wants to."                                       
 Robert G. Ingersoll    (1833-1899) 

Two Quotes About War

"When the swords flash let no idea of love, piety,  or even the face of your fathers move you."
Gaius Julius Caesar     (100-44  BC  Dictator of the Roman Republic)

"The people must fight for their laws as for their walls."      Heraclitus   (c.540-480 BC) Greek philosopher

The Jury In 3 State Constitutions

"In all cases of libels, the jury shall have the right to determine the law and the facts, under the direction of the court, as in other cases."         Texas Constitution:    Article I, Section 8


"In all criminal cases whatsoever, the jury shall have the right to determine the law and the facts."
 Indiana Constitution:    Article I, Section 19


"The jury in all criminal cases, shall be the judges of the law and the facts.      "Georgia, Declaration of Rights:     Art.I, Sec.II, Para. I

If People Could Govern Themselves

I have purposely done no research on this matter for quite a long time.  I chose not to do so for the purpose of writing what comes to mind based on logic and common sense.  I think people can govern themselves without a formal government if they live in isolation form large communities.  They would then depend on family structure for governance.  This, of course has happened before.  However, this cannot be done if the people involved are ignorant of moral parameters.  The way I see it, survival is next to impossible if there are no moral parameters, and if there is no love.  Obviously, the aforementioned need to be taught.  No love, no morality, no life.  Unless one is an amoeba, insect, worm, or the like.

"Arms For Our Own Defense" (Patrick Henry)

"Are we at last brought to such a humiliating and debasing degradation, that we cannot be trusted with arms for our own defence?  Where is the difference between having our arms in our own possession and under our own direction, and having them under the management of Congress?  If our defence be the_real_object of having those arms, in whose hands can they be trusted with more propriety, or equal safety to us, as in our own hands?"

 Patrick Henry(1736-1799)

"Courage Is Rightly Esteemed" (Churchill)

"Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities because it has been said it is the quality which guarantees all others."                       

 Sir Winston Churchill

No Arms For Our Own Defence? P. Henry

"Are we at last brought to such a humiliating and debasing degradation, that we cannot be trusted with arms
for our own defence?  Where is the difference between having our arms in our own possession and under our 
own direction, and having them under the management of Congress? If our defence* be the real object of having 
those arms, in whose hands can they be trusted with more propriety, or equal safety to us, as in our own hands?"    
 Patrick Henry(1736-1799)

*  "Defence" spelled with a "c" is the British way to spell defense.

Government Exists To........

"Government exists to protect us from each other.  Where government has
 gone beyond its limits is in deciding to protect us from ourselves."       
 Ronald Reagan

Who Was Our Constitution Made For?

The title of this entry asks a question.  The question is answered in the following quote made by John Adams, 
one of the founding fathers of this great nation.  As I see it, if the Constitution was "made only for a religious and
moral people; " How can we go wrong?  The US cannot and will not achieve perfection.  But by the standards of this world, it has achieved greatness.  It will continue to be great. Why?  Because it will continue to be blessed. RD



"We have no government armed in power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by
morality and religion. 
OUR CONSTITUTION WAS MADE ONLY FOR A RELIGIOUS AND MORAL PEOPLE.*
It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other."

John Adams      (2nd US President) 



* caps mine     RD

Some Quotes About Guns

"A strong body makes the mind strong.  As to the species of exercises, I advise the gun. While this gives  
moderate exercise to the body, it gives boldness, enterprise and independence to the mind.  Games played 
with the ball, and others of that nature, are too violent for the body and stamp no character on the mind.  Let 
your gun therefore be the constant companion of your walks."     
Thomas Jefferson 



"The enemies of freedom do not argue; they shout and they shoot."     William Ralph Inge

"If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun."     
 Dalai Lama 

A Ronald Reagan Quote

"We must reject the idea that every time a law is broken, 

society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker.  It is time to

restore the American precept that each individual is 

accountable for his actions."       Ronald Reagan

Sometimes when tragic events take place that are the result

of the actions of criminals, or careless, thoughtless, angry or

emotionally/mentally disturbed persons; some, among us, 

choose to blame society.  Perhaps they point out something

that we may consider "food for thought."  However, in the final 

analysis,  it is the one who pulled the trigger, planted the bomb

or committed some other atrocity who is responsible.  We are 

aware that someone may have helped, supplied or financed 

the wrongdoing.  Nevertheless, they do not comprise all of 
society.  No, society is not responsible.  RD