Displaying 661 To 690 Of 3,237 Comments Unsteady about Hillary: Columbia, SC 2007; and today? How ready are you? ReploIndyohDemcrat….good lord! But quite accurate…. I am a story teller in part because stories tell me what I believe and why. That Door with “Welcome Madame President” just sticks in my craw! So how does the Democratic Party improvise to get into a new groove and jam from there? » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On July 12, 2014 @ 11:53 am Many thoughts here… thank you for sharing them…you have been most busy I think. I think the U.S. as a paragon of virtue, as the shining city on the hill, as a model for how things are supposed to be is largely myth- an enduring one but mostly a tall tale. WWII and the Cold War along with its role as a refuge for immigrants are most responsible for this coupled with our own historical propaganda abut the uniqueness of our national experience How does this tie into Hillary- I think she is hawkish both in terms of international relations/dealing with rivals and outright enemies and in terms of the role of Big Money in our economy. Your list of national embarrassments is real but I don’t think the U.S. is alone in this- the homeless, the impoverished, the trapped- I see them everywhere (even in “ideal nations” like Canada, the nordic nations, Germany/Austia, Switzerland, Australia, New Zeald…all the ones I hold up as models) Still, the wasting of our national resources on war has cost us dearly and made all of these problems much worse for us. As to who has a better profile – Sanders (a solid mind, a firm sense of what he believes in, AND not much of a record in getting things done….in many ways he and Alan Gratson in the House have a lot in common). I love Warren but I recognize that she has a very particular set of skills and she knows that too- she has a path to travel that is largely as a crusader for the middle class. So, I am still casting about. A word about our bad food—- yeah, fast food and GMO’s are not hallmarks for the AMerican Heritage….. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On July 12, 2014 @ 11:50 am That is what is referred to as a mature political perspective rather than the immaturity that comes with single issue or single demographic based voting. Love your closing line…for me it is this…all else being equal am I inclined to vote for a woman…absolutely and for many reasons (not the least of which is gender influence disparity, but I add to that an attitude displayed by most women I know that seems better geared to bipartisanship and problem solving.) » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On July 12, 2014 @ 11:10 am Thumbs up and up and up. Your point about her “public speaking extempore speaking instincts” is of particular value. I think of her head to head with Rand Paul in the Senate- while I know that many saw the interchange as her getting tough on the senator, I saw her choice of language awkward and frankly a little disturbing- “what difference does it make.” I think a lot- the origins of the attack are very important and say a lot about its meaning. I don’t think that anyone, however, can match her resources (money, people, organization, and name) unless another charismatic figure comes along. Her GOP-like positioning could be to our advantage IF she can also push a liberal agenda in some areas..as you read I am a bit tepid..lukewarm…wishwashy, squishy….then and now. I need to look into your great lead re Georgette Mossbacher and how it applies to the Wall Street crowd in general- I think your underlying insight might be key. If Hillary is as much a friend to them as the GOP and a lot more stable lacking the destabilizing influence of a Left Wing Tea Party group, why not walk away from the GOP and buy into the Dems (hell, the Demographics are turning so badly against them this might be a good investment). » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On July 12, 2014 @ 11:07 am I am certain she will have challengers but my concern is that they will not have the resources she has. Obama overcame her money, personpower, organization and name value as a “once a great while” charismatic candidate. There is no one in the wings that fits that description right now. Tomorrow? Who knows. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On July 12, 2014 @ 10:39 am Coalition Of Church And State: Destroyed From Within. I get weary….really do…you have alluded to how taxing life is in a hostile environment…where is there an environment these days that is not hostile? I have gotten pulled into the children refugees crisis. A local church full of good people offered to assist in finding temporary placements for about 50 kids (with all of the background checks etc. in place). They also started a drive to gather basic necessities for them. In particular they offered to assist with teenaged boys since those appear to be the most difficult to place and are the most at risk. Their idea was that a placement in a rural, midwestern setting would give them some space from the gangs to which a good many are connected if not affiliated. WELL, local “patriots” are up in arms, literally. Lot of protesting and last night nasty graffiti on a church wall. I don’t belong to the church but I support the effort and that is getting me heat as well. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On July 16, 2014 @ 5:59 am The thing is that it is not just from one church….a bunch I know of and the language in it keeps popping up in public statements by “christian” public figures. As to our governor (and indeed the entire state executive branch) is Democratic thanks to three urban areas but the legislature is overwhelmingly GOP. A tool the GOP uses very well here is put things on ballots as binding referendum- one such was that the no ACA related program could be done without the support of a) both houses of our legislature AND b) a passed referendum on an open ballot. Look forward to your contact. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On July 14, 2014 @ 5:51 pm I have come back to make my substantive comment, but before I do that…I have sent about a dozen people to your comment here from Daily Kos and from several of my personal contacts. ALL have said that it is a very important comment. Several asked if you could provide a list of links to your comments on this subject for easy access. So,if you have any interest in crossposting I stand ready to assist. If not, then, with your permission, I would like to do a diary about your post here (a summary with my content added in and a link to the full article). Just trying to be respectful of the authors wishes. ————–you know from previous conversations re. religion is idolatry and zealotry that we agree on virtually everything you have posted here and earlier——- so let me just say “ditto” to your excellent selection of a book that paints a religious dystopia in ways that quite convincing especially when paired with your analysis and documented case….. And let me add. The issue of medicaid expansion in Missouri. As we have discussed before one has to be virtually destitute, 15 percent of federal poverty guideline, or a pregnant mother or a child to get medicaid. This means that most of the poor are not covered, and this is particularly galling for the working poor, many of whom uses the public access clinics and their sliding scale payment systems (the big problem being that there are way too few of them and they have trouble getting hospital based services like MRI’s and CT Scans. A number of churches have gone to bat for this. Ex. http://www.faithinpubliclife.org/blog/mo-clergy-take-airwaves-calling-medicaid-expansion/ Ex. http://www.ascension-episcopalstl.org/news/medicaid-expansion-guide You will note that these articles all reference churches with a liberal orientation. The right leaning (usually pro-life proclaiming) churches remain silent in public statements but they certainly pass on a particular set of beliefs to their congregants. Here is something I have seen posted in a number church bulletins and letters (note- not on-line- hmmmmmmm) ============================ Since 1964 the United States Governments (Federal and State) have transferred over five trillion dollars from the middle class and the rich to the poor. Are the poor better off today or have they become more enslaved and dependent on government? How much is five trillion dollars? A billion dollars is one thousand million dollars. A trillion dollars is one thousand billion dollars, thus five trillion dollars is five thousand billion dollars. That amount is inconceivable to the human mind. That is how much government has taken from the middle and rich class and transferred it to the poor. This money did not cost the poor anything. They did not have to earn it. It was given them. This scenario described is why so many are up in arms about the subject of welfare. There are still over three million Americans on the welfare rolls. Some are being helped by it and learning to stand on their own feet someday. This is the goal. Others have become enslaved by it and are dependent on it. Some are second, third and even fourth generation dependents on welfare. There are special cases where some are worthy of help and compassion such as the disabled veteran, other disabled, orphans, handicapped, retarded and other extraordinary cases. These can be helped when there is no one else to help them. The average middle class worker today works till the middle of May each year for the government. Everything they earn from January till about the middle of May is taxed and taken by the government in some form. These hard working people are feeling slighted that some of their money is given to some poor people who have not earned it and do not deserve it. Needless to say, welfare is a very volatile subject and our goal again is to find out what the Bible says. 1. No work, no eat. II Thessalonians 3:6-12, “Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us. For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread.” This is the simplest answer in the Bible concerning the subject. 2. A man who does not take care of his own is despicable. I Timothy 5:8, “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” It is about the worst indictment a man could receive to be called “worse than an infidel.” This is not the governments job, but a man’s job to take care of his own. Even deadbeat dads should be hunted down and forced to care for their own as long as they live. Jesse Ventura, Governor of Minnesota said, “It’s not the governments job to make up for your mistakes.” 3. Widows are to be cared for by their family, not government or church. I Timothy 5:3-10,16 “Honour widows that are widows indeed. But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God. Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day. But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth. And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless. But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man, Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints’ feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work. If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed.” Leviticus 22:13, “But if the priest’s daughter be a widow, or divorced, and have no child, and is returned unto her father’s house, as in her youth, she shall eat of her father’s meat: but there shall no stranger eat thereof.” There is such a widow that is worthy of Church support. She is called a “widow indeed” or “desolate” in this text. As you note the requirements, she is a rare case: • Desolate – I Timothy 5:5 (No living husband, children, nephews etc.). These are certainly extraordinary conditions before such a widow can receive welfare from the church (I Timothy 5:16). 4. The extended family is to care for all family members. I Timothy 5:4, “But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.” Not only should children care for their parents, but nephews should care for their aunts and uncles! We are far from this today. We do not even think like this today. Yet this is Bible. The word “requite” means “pay back.” If parents have taken care of their children for twenty years at the beginning of their lives, then children should be willing to take care of their parents for twenty years at the end of their lives. The word “piety” means “respect” or “support.” This is God’s social security plan. 5. Government should strengthen the hand of the poor and needy, not weaken it. Ezekiel 16:49-50, “Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.” One of the reasons God destroyed the four cities on the plain was that they did not strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. Government should try to strengthen the poor, not make them weaker. If the government is going to give things away, instead of giving fish, they should give a fishing pole. Then the poor would have the means to go out and catch their own fish. If government, church or individuals help the poor it should only be in such a way to get them started in helping themselves. This principle is taught in the law of God: Leviticus 19:9-10, “And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest. And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and stranger: I am the LORD your God.” Leviticus 23:22, “And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God.” (The widow Ruth practiced this in Ruth 2:1-3.) By giving away free handouts (the fancy word today is “entitlements”) the poor are weakened. They do not learn the value and self satisfaction of industriousness. The poor should not be weakened but strengthened. People should depend on themselves not on the government. 6. Even in great distress the poor paid what they could for help from government. Genesis 41:53-57, “And the seven years of plenteousness, that was in the land of Egypt, were ended. And the seven years of dearth began to come, according as Joseph had said: and the dearth was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt there was bread. And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do. And the famine was over all the face of the earth: And Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt. And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.” No handouts here. The poor paid for what they could from the government. Remember, this was all by the directive of God through Joseph who had been sold into Egypt as a slave. He grew and by the blessing of God became second to the leader, Pharaoh, in all the land. Even in great distress the government should avoid the practice of free handouts. Some state governors are replacing welfare with workfare. 7. Government should judge the poor. Psalms 72:2,4, “He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment. He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.” Proverbs 31:9, “Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.” Isaiah 11:4, “But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.” Some of the poor need a helping hand until they get on their own feet. This should only be in times of great distress and for as short of duration as possible. Other poor need a kick in the pants. The government should make this righteous judgment. The church should make this righteous judgment. Individuals should make this righteous judgment. Those who are worthy should be helped. Those not worthy should not be helped. Jesus said in John 7:24, “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” Righteous judgment of the poor would be included. Helping the poor is certainly part of the Christian faith. Giving to the poor that be worthy is taught throughout Scripture. Revival in this teaching and practice in the Christian church could relieve all government welfare programs. Let us illustrate: There are 260 million Americans. Forty percent of them attend some sort of a “Christian” church each Sunday. That is 104 million. These attend 1.5 million churches across America. There are 3 million recipients of welfare in America right now. If each church helped two families get on their feet if possible, welfare could be eliminated. Remember, there was a day when our country did not have welfare. Families and Christians helped each other. Now we have relied on the government and socialism is creeping in. Welfare seems to be the card some in government are playing to promote their socialist agenda. ============================ Mo. House Speaker Tim Jones- bible in hand- said this from the House floor in April. “We believe in the American dream, more importantly we believe in the Biblical dream, the Godly vision, which depends on every able bodied American to contribute and work because that is what God want for as individuals, as families, as communities. Ours is a society that has been the most prosperous in the world because it promises that people can keep what they earn but they must earn it by the sweat of their brow. In casting out Adam and Eve from the Garden of Paradise, the Lord did not leave them without hope. He gave them the blessing of work, of labor, of personal independence. This is a grace from God. Nations that guarantee benefits others have earned fail. Conservatives understand that and know that expansion is nothing more than massive growth of the welfare state and a direct threat to our long-term economic health, our families and our faiths. There is a reason why socialism and atheism go hand in hand.” » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On July 14, 2014 @ 9:34 am Hi Sue- I have learned at DK that the number of posts that float through the pages there means that one has to catch the attention of the readers who scan through the titles. When you hover over a title you get the first 30 to 40 words of your opening paragraph. So unless the diary is a regular feature and folk know it, or you have an established reputation for good stuff that is when you have to grab them. I liked your paragraph order on the front page and your new title with the change I suggest: The United States Destroyed from Within by a Coalition of Church and State “On October 22, 2022, New York is the last bastion of what was once a free country. Within hours, the last bastion of free society, a hastily fortified Manhattan, has capitulated. They tried, they really did but fighting a new President who has the military at his disposal, militia and the National Guard now under his control as well as the Joshua Brigade, the 22 states that were a hold out and refused to remain with this new America, had no chance in a losing proposition against the new Christian-based government. ========================================= Are you a member of the Daily Kos Community? That’s the key. If you are, then publishing is a snap. If not, then your work could be published by someone who is as a “with permission” article from the Daily Planet. I find it very persuasive and it puts forth a topic not much discussed there (although I find the the breadth of coverage quite impressive on most days). I would probably write another diary spinning off of it based on my experience here in Mo. In that diary I would then cite yours. Of course, if you would rather not…..that is fine as well. I think that what you have to say is worth hearing. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On July 11, 2014 @ 7:12 pm Before making a substantive reply, may I please ask if you are going to repost this elsewhere? I would like permission to repost it at the Daily Kos. We will need a really catchy title and an equally catchy lead paragraph to catch the attention of the scanners over there but I think this is worth sharing. At Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Christian-Nation-Frederic-C-Rich/dp/0393240118 Hardcover: 352 pages Have you seen the reviews for the work- all over the place? Reading them tells me that those who found the subject matter disagreeable were likely to rate it poorly….often arguing from a evangelical perspective. More thoughts on this later. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On July 11, 2014 @ 11:59 am Another Money Making Conspiracy Con by a Right Wing Huckster Truth there. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On July 10, 2014 @ 7:22 pm Why would you say you are bad? » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On July 10, 2014 @ 7:20 pm 😎 You’re the boss! » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On July 10, 2014 @ 7:01 pm Why would you say that? Your snope lead led me to WaPo and Town Hall. I also took your material and mine and posted it at Daily Kos at a story crowing about the CostCo decision. Ignoring you? Quite the opposite. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On July 10, 2014 @ 6:30 pm “Show ’em up to blow ’em up!” Jimx…feel free to use under the meme that you thunk it up first. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On July 10, 2014 @ 6:07 pm So many people jumping in to help…what the Planet is… » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On July 10, 2014 @ 6:05 pm Writer’s block happens…it has to me…and for lots of reasons…glad you have something motivating you to get back into the game. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On July 10, 2014 @ 5:52 pm I found this… By the end of the day on 8 July 2014, Costco began adding a paragraph to their standard customer response indicating that they had reversed their position and would be re-stocking D’Souza’s America: Imagine a World Without Her: “After we made the return, a documentary was released about the book. Since then there has been heightened interest by our membership base and brisk sales at locations still in stock. Therefore, we have made the decision to reorder the book.” http://www.washingtonpost.com/… and » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On July 10, 2014 @ 5:48 pm https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhWDFgRfi1Q My favorite version of this… » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On July 10, 2014 @ 5:01 pm Precisely Sally. I know that those cartoons drive me to distraction. I HATE THEM, but I need to see them and I need to take note of them so I can take them on. I need to know the darkness to light it up! » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On July 10, 2014 @ 4:58 pm Very welcome. You and I really “get” each other in matters like this. Show em up to blow em up! AND I think it has value. CostCo and WalMart are pulling D’Souza’s book from their shelves because it is not selling well and the number of theaters show the film made from the book will be chopped in half this weekend. Eventually how stupid something is gets through to a lot of people. I look forward to your act of complementarity. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On July 10, 2014 @ 4:56 pm Sally- I would never presume to think I know your mind so don’t plan on hearing from me on this….ever. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On July 10, 2014 @ 4:45 pm That it does not survive on the right wing sites gives me even more of a motivation to see it published where it will be part of the record and I want this site on the record in denouncing propaganda. I think very highly of those here but I never assume that I know their minds. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On July 10, 2014 @ 4:42 pm Your last three comments: “I just have one last thing to say Murph. Do you really believe that by posting a “dislike” for this material it is going to change the mind of Sarah Palin or any of those who belong to the Tea Party or any of the GOP one issue voters that watch and listen to this? I truly don’t believe you will, and posting it here is like preaching to the choir, you need to be posting this on RedStates or some Right Wing site where it just “might” do a bit of good.” My point is: Those that would benefit from your critique of this “media” would be those that would be inclined to watch and believe it. I don’t believe anyone that post here would last 5 minutes in one of Dinesh D’Sousa’s films. Unless of course if the film had been advertised as a comedy, then it might get a few butts in the seats. :)” “I understand what your purpose was as you see it, and I understand that you believe this is needed material for this site. Maybe it is…I’ll just say this sunlight has already been shined on D’Sousa, he has been unmasked, his cloak has been removed, he is no longer credible. I personally believe the people who post on this site already know this. Who eyes did you think you were opening?” ================== My response Your argument is that since everyone here at the Planet is of the same mind? Your assumption is that all are liberal/progressive? You believe that everyone here has an informed and formed opinion of D’Souza and of his work? I would never make any of those assumptions. As I said in my first response, part of doing this is to call out the film and its maker as inept and full of nonsense. In doing so I provide others with arguments and evidence that might be of use to them in drawing their own conclusions and in taking on those who find films like this convincing. Bottom line: You still seem to be saying that I should not have published this story here. Why would I not want to share something like this with this community? P.S. I did publish this review at two right leaning sites. It got deleted immediately at one and lasted for two hours at another. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On July 10, 2014 @ 3:43 pm ah. See it now. Didn’t that message use to be in the bottom right of the screen? » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On July 10, 2014 @ 3:34 pm You wrote: “I didn’t say positive publicity Murph, I said free publicity. This has been all over the airwaves, as a matter of fact D’Sousa is on MSNBC right now on the Ed Show with Michael Dyson. I am not trying to tell you what to write, and I am not putting down what you wrote, I just feel that it adds publicity to something frivolous that doesn’t need to get the publicity you are giving it.” Here is where we differ- this kind of propaganda is not frivolous…it has the potential to have a powerful impact on those who look to it to inform their world view; to reinforce their prejudices; to give them additional ammunition to use against the unAmerican left…..When you push back at nonsense like this those who might be drawn in have another perspective to access; those who make these thin tissues of lies are made more wary; and those who oppose their point of view are given their own ammo. You mentioned that D’Souza was on MSNBC right now- I was watching as well. He came away from that exchange as one who is clearly in the wrong in point after point. When “2016” came out it was largely ignored. I was one of those who did not ignore it. My review made the rounds and this time I am happy to say that a number of reviewers in the professional press took it on. That is their function. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On July 10, 2014 @ 2:50 pm So,if you close your eye and plug your eye and hum real loud they will go away? they will be admonished? they will cease to do what they do? Nope. Sunlight and more sunlight. Call their work a money-grubbing hucksters con job. I do not see this as promoting their work. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On July 10, 2014 @ 2:40 pm I do not understand Monica’s point. Critical examination of media should be encouraged. Indeed, I believe that the tellers of great lies like this one are counting on folks like us NOT reviewing their work. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On July 10, 2014 @ 2:38 pm sorry, it would not play…got the message that I have to play it on youtube only which you cannot do from here…probably we need the link. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On July 10, 2014 @ 2:36 pm I gave the film a horrible review, pointed that most others agree with me, and point out that it is doing terribly in box office. When I say that a film has been rated by reviewers as only 11 percent positive and that it ranks 21st (which is near the bottom) among new releases and has averaged 310 persons per theater in two weeks of showing that is not good news. I do not regard that as positive publicity. When I take the film apart, as I did and as Ad Lib did, I do not regard that as positive publicity. The film continues to do very poorly and is now being pulled from theaters (as the book has now been pulled from the helve of several retailers). You point eludes me. » Posted By MurphTheSurf3 On July 10, 2014 @ 2:07 pmComments Posted By MurphTheSurf3
THE BIBLE SPEAKS ON WELFARE
• Over 60 years old – I Timothy 5:9.
• Never been divorced – I Timothy 5:9.
• Well reported of having done good works for others – I Timothy 5:10.
• Brought up her children – I Timothy 5:10.
• Lodged strangers – I Timothy 5:10.
• Washed feet, humbly served others – I Timothy 5:10.
• Relieved the afflicted – I Timothy 5:10.
• Followed every good work – I Timothy 5:10.
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company (July 1, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0393240118
ISBN-13: 978-0393240115
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