New Sacramento Area Link

Unbeknown to me, this site, Bloggodocio, has mine "blogrolled," so I've attempted to do the same. HTML language is a royal pain-in-the-arse, so my blogroll stinks to put it mildly. I'd rather have teeth pulled than spend alot of time screwing around with the less than signs, back slashes, etc. There must be an easier way to build a blogroll. Until I find it, no offense to those who have rolled me, I'm just ornery about productive use of my time. Eric Hogue is going to gather links to several area weblogs to build a network ala Hugh Hewitt, and has started to do so.

I'm honored to be in the company of fellows such this: Bloggodocio. Check out his site. Some very good and thoughtful reads.

"It is Completed"

Guess now we'll see what redemption the Pharisees have bought themselves. Death by judicial decree. Wow.

For some reason I'm remembering an episode of The Twilight Zone (as in the original, not the current knockoff) with Burgess Meredith (those with him were always my favorites) as a lone faithful man being condemned by society as "obsolete" for his faith in God rather than the State and the "Law" I suppose. He was being chided by his chief accuser who was gloating in his victory of having him declared obsolete and therefore disposable. He and Meredith's character were still debating the human condition and faith's place in it. I don't remember the details, but somehow Meredith had the accuser trapped with him in his apartment in which he was going to be executed (bomb, gas, something). Upon learning of his entrapment, the accuser freaked and begged Meredith to free him "in the name of God." "In the name of God, yes I will let you free," was the response. Meredith meets his fate and the accuser faces his own charges, and probable execution, of obsolescence for crying out to God for his freedom. Faith in humanism leads to physical and soulish death is the radical (by today's standards) moral of that old Rod Serling story. Geez, I miss him.

Terri Shiavo was obsolete to the Pharisees. Terri Shiavo was obsolete to her so-called husband. Terri Shiavo was never obsolete to God or the love of her parents. In this great evil that was perpetrated by the Law, will come a greater good of reigning in the Law is my prayer today. The Law is intended to bring wrath upon evildoers is the purpose of the Law. It's purpose was perverted in this case so needs correction. Prayers for the Schindler's comfort in this dark time and wisdom to finally come to Michael Shiavo, Pharisee Greer, et. al. go without saying.

The Day After Redemption (for most)

Welcome to the day after Redemption. Tom Graffagnino weighs in again with another KO on the Shiavo situation:

Re the Terri Schiavo "right to kill" case....

At least now we have a fresh and graphically vivid picture of what happens when a nation adopts liberalism's perverted brand of 'separation of church and state' and makes it official policy......And the picture it gives us is not pretty.

It looks very much like the right to 'legally' starve inconveniently "hopeless" and helpless invalids. Pragmatic utilitarianism in the Me-first world of Darwinian ethics on display.... front and center.

Barry Lynn and friends, please.... take a bow. Run that victory lap around
the bloody colosseum floor. Big grin for the camera......

Hey! At least now we know why the State's lawyers and judges are overwhelmingly in favor of removing the Ten Commandments from the courthouses (link added by Bat) of America.

Hint: It's the very same reason full-length vanity mirrors aren't appreciated in a leper colony. (And because Law # 6 is a real killer!)
**********

A poem to help us commemorate the tragedy of the Schiavo
case:

"Blind Pilates in Full Flight"

Lord, have mercy on us all....

I heard much the same from the Hoguester last week. Vickie Benbow called in for her real estate minute and instead didn’t talk much about real estate, but nailed the topic at hand with the statement this “isn’t necessarily a Culture of Death but more a Culture of Convenience; it isn’t ‘convenient’ for me to carry this baby to full term, it isn’t ‘convenient’ for me to support this brain damaged relative, and so on.” If that doesn’t explain what we’re seeing, then it’s a mystery that will never be solved! (If Vickie’s still in the real estate biz at the end of my 10-year plan, she just won herself a future client.)

Last I heard Terri Shiavo has pretty much passed the point of no return. She did receive communion yesterday. I’m surprised the Pharisee’s didn’t forbid it as a form of unlawful nourishment.

The Passion(?) of Terri Shiavo

For whose sins are we making this woman suffer? She is needlessly receiving the wrath for her sins that Christ paid for long ago. But as Paul said "law brings wrath." I would say that is because it is administered by fools who worship "and serve created things." God has turned them over to their created things in the "Law." The Great Deceiver tells them they are being humane, and being the fools they are, they have believed the Dark One.

According to even the vaunted AP, Terri Shiavo's eyes and tongue are now bleeding from the dehydration and her skin is peeling off as if by whips. The parallels to what I saw last night are creepy to say the least:

"Doctors have said the 41-year-old woman would probably die within a week or two of the tube being removed. By Friday, dehydration was taking its toll. Terri Schiavo's tongue and eyes were bleeding and her skin was flaking off, Weller said."

I read that and was struck by a scene from The Passion of the Christ." In what may become a Good Friday tradition the Guano family (not their real name) watched it last night, I must admit, for the first time. Watching Christ receive my punishment unto Himself was horrible as the very handsome Great Deceiver attempted to talk Him out of it. There are those who say Mel Gibson is a sick man and invented that brutality for pure profit . Others claim it was reality. As any student of history (as am I) can tell you, the Romans were nothing if not brutal. They were quite skilled at subjugating defeated nations and taught many their craft (Hitler, Stalin, Hussein, etc). What was most horrible to watch with current events was one particular scene where Christ is being beaten and mauled by Roman soldiers on his way to paying full measure for my sin. A woman comes up to Him as the soldiers quell a pending riot with their whips. She offers a towel to wipe His blood from His face and then a cup of water. A Roman soldier kicks away the cup and curses the woman. We will all feel like that Roman soldier and weep once we (America) realize what we have done. Meanwhile, Satan rejoices in this victory.

God, please forgive us. As Your Son said, "we know not what we do" even though we are no longer with excuse.

Nice Day for a Cruxifiction

Beautiful day ain't it? Well, for most of us. Somehow or other, I started getting messages from a Christian artist named Tom Graffagnino. Could have been from a post I left on a Godblog somewhere. Anyway, here's one he sent me this morning:

"Well, Good Morning, Ms. Schiavo.....Yes, Good Friday's finally here.Nice
day for crucifying.For the Legalists, it's clear.We saw the Pharisees reviewing
every tittle...every jot...This "letter of the law"-thing, is a killer, is it
not? Is it true that you're not guilty Of a crime?.....(That's what
we've heard!)Yet the Blind Guides have passed judgment....Moral Insight clearly
blurred.Legalistic HumanismIs the trap.....The Fowler's Snare.It's a deadly way
of seeing:The yeast the Lord said to
beware.
*********
One may wonder where we're headed...Some have said we've lost our way.Thank
you, Jesus, for revealingGrace and Truth on Easter Day! Please Lord have Mercy
on us!As again we see our Sin...Like the Pharisees before us,We took the
tempter's bait again."

Through just about every letter he wrote, Paul chided the Pharisees for their higher faith in the law than in God. In Romans 3, Paul declared "through the law we become conscious of sin." So the law is not an end of itself. Rather it's a means to receive faith; "Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed." Law was given to us to make us conscious of our shortcomings and sin. Now our Pharisees in the black robes are worshiping that which they have created, thus have become the fools Paul warned the Romans of. Yesterday, I listened in disgust to the Hugh Hewitt program as a collection of Pharisee fools debated the law surrounding Terri Shiavo. Some claiming case law supported taking her off this death march. Others saying the law is there to provide this "freedom of choice." Huh? Just when did this brain damaged woman sit up and say, "Please dehydrate me to death!" This is Michael Shiavo's choice. He says it's hers, but only he and God know if that's a lie.

This isn't about the law. This is about life, love, and everything we were commanded to do by Christ. Let's talk about "Thou shall not Kill" if you want to discuss legalisms. Execution by dehydration is not love.

Cowards

I've been following the Terry Shiavo case off and on. This is difficult. The fetching Mrs. Guano (not her real name) and I both gave each other our blessing to divorce and carry on with our lives if one or the other was rendered severely brain damaged as Terry Shiavo is, while leaving our respective fates to God's decision.

Terry Shiavo isn't brain dead.

Those leading the charge to have her killed would have us all believe that she's a complete vegetable. Digging into this on the internet, separating away the chaff, Terry Shiavo is able to recognize things and people. Terry is able to communicate somewhat. She is severely brain damaged, which according to some medical experts could be compensated to a degree with some therapy. Her husband, several judges, and other misguided souls want her dead.

God's mercy and grace is infinite. In his many attempts to be God, man screws it up everytime. This time is no exception. In the attempt to be "humane" to Terry Shiavo, it's been decided to starve and dehydrate her to death. Death by dehydration is apparently one of the more painful ways to go. This is humanity? Michael Shiavo, his brother, Judge Greer, and assorted other fools are patting themselves on the back that they are doing the humane thing in killing Terry in such a way. I have no doubts they will succeed in this murder. What that says about our culture of death is a whole another post.

What bothers me more than anything else is the sheer cowardice of the act. All parties involved in taking this life are hiding behind the law claiming there's no blood on their hands in the commission of a barbaric act that normal humans wouldn't curse on a dog for Christ' sake! If you're going to make a decision/order like this, have the stones to pull the trigger and make it quick and merciful!! I would have respect for the parties involved if they were atleast displaying that kind of misguided courage. At least it would be courage, grossly applied courage, but there would be something honorable there. Michael Shiavo, Judge Greer, and now a Federal judge, et. al. are hiding behind the law to commit a horrific act of murder. They are cowards of the worst sort. May God have the mercy on their souls they are refusing to extend to Terry Shiavo.

UPDATE: March 23rd. The judical branch of the Federal government is wrapping itself up in its god - legal precedence. Here's what my man Paul would have to say to them:

"Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man ..." - Romans 1:22-23a

I've bold-texted my prediction above. God help the USA that law would ever be held higher than life itself.

What is Going On?

I remember sitting in a rental home with my roommates one night in Santa Cruz watching East Berliners going after the "Wall" with sledge hammers, picks, screwdrivers, whateever they could get their hands on. West Berliners began to join in. We stared in disbelief at the TV screen as those ugly concrete monoliths tumbled to the ground in huge billows of dust as joyful Krauts jumped up and down screaming with joy. We looked around at each other saying, "What is going on?" East and West had been separated by concrete walls, razor ribbon, bullets, guard dogs, etc. since we were kids aware enough to know what communism meant. The Berlin Wall was just one of those "realities" that had to be "co-existed" with.

Ronald Reagan exorted Michail Gorbachev to "Tear down this wall!" and it finally happened. Everyone thought Reagan was a naive kook meddling with the forces of nature. The Demokook Party - being a former Democrat, I won't give the Party of Dean/Boxer/Kennedy/Kerry the recognition of being in the same, although I'll acknowledge they are killing the Democrat Party - has been saying much the same about the Middle East regarding the Bush Doctrine's proclamation as this as "The Century of Liberty." They had been pinning alot of the trouble on Israel. Well, with the timely removal of the architect of political murder and mayhem, a.k.a, terrorism (Arafat - may God have mercy on his wretched soul), Israel and the Palestinians are showing some signs of a springtime renewal. Add in this and this and this I think it's time again to say, "What is Going On?"

"You're not so Pure!"

Well, duuuh! BUT, I’ve often been troubled by the level of violence in the Old Testament involved with God's "Chosen People." How about you? Quite often Christian critics have pointed out to me the destruction of “indigenous people” by the Israelites as murder by a cruel God, original racism, etc. True, the Promised Land is being violently purged of the existing nations as Moses delivers his swan song to his people camped on the eastern banks of the Jordan River. Total annihilation occurs for many unlucky enough to be in the way. The Amorites east of the Jordan got it first, to be followed by other Amorites as well as Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites, and Jebusites that God said He would drive out on the Promised Land (west of the Jordan) before the Israelites. The accusation of racism is unfounded as all these nations were related to the Israelites. Distant cousins all the way back to Noah and his sons. The Israelites were the descendants of Shem (ancestor to “Father” Abraham himself) while those nations to be driven out were descendants of Shem’s brother Ham and his son Canaan. Noah cursed Canaan after Ham dishonored Noah, his father. Canaan and his descendants were nothing but trouble ever since.

But what was so special about the Israelites versus the other descendants of Noah? We’ve already discovered in Leviticus these were not nice people. God was ready to wipe out these barbarians many times in the course of instilling discipline on them. Moses explains it in Deuteronomy 9:4-6:

4 After the LORD your God has driven them out before you, do not say to yourself, "The LORD has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness." No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is going to drive them out before you. 5 It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the LORD your God will drive them out before you, to accomplish what he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 6 Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the LORD your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people.

Ouch. So okay, it’s not because we’re so damn righteous but rather because we suck the least! Not exactly a glowing recommendation. Holy Wind-Out-of-the-Sails Batman! BUT, God does remember his promises is the other moral to this particular story. So how bad were the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites, Jebusites and other nations? Well, that question is answered here:

29 The LORD your God will cut off before you the nations you are about to invade and dispossess. But when you have driven them out and settled in their land, 30 and after they have been destroyed before you, be careful not to be ensnared by inquiring about their gods, saying, "How do these nations serve their gods? We will do the same." 31 You must not worship the LORD your God in their way, because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the LORD hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods. Deu 12:29-31

And here:

9 When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. 10 Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in [a] the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, 11 or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. 12 Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you. 13 You must be blameless before the LORD your God. Deu 18:9-13

Okay, these people were pretty nasty so I’m not feeling so bad for them anymore. Remember what happened to Sodom and Gomorrah? This ruthless weeding by God of really detestable people is nothing new in the Old Testament. The story of Noah another case in point. Vile, wicked people in the Old Testament met a violent end they worked hard for. The other side to this is God knew the Israelites weren’t so grand themselves, and exposure to wicked people like this would eventually ruin their undisciplined selves and His Plan for their (ours) eventual salvation. More gotta be cruel to be kind sometimes.

With the adjunct of Christ, these types of people today (just look around you – they exist!) will meet the same end unless they acknowledge their sin and accept Christ’ forgiveness and salvation.

“Bloggers = Journalists?”

Apple Computers is mad. Someone took one of their R&D projects and spilled it all over a weblog, thereby putting the project in the public domain. Apple is suing the bloggers involved according to the Hoguester, to find out who leaked the details on the R&D. The bloggers are claiming to be journalists and therefore protected by the “Shield Law,” therefore needn’t release the names of their “sources.” The fact that the bloggers are conspiring with the sources to violate corporate confidentiality rules apparently never crossed their minds.

Quote, unquote “real” journalists (and I use that term RATHER loosely, that is, the term “real”) would understand that intellectual property just like real property couldn’t be taken from its owner without just compensation. I’m not a lawyer, but if I were Apple Computers, I’d be pissed!! These bloggers are not protecting the public from willful misuse of power or exposing criminal activity. They are willfully spilling the beans on a private enterprise, thereby potentially ruining a business opportunity for Apple Computers and putting Apple employees at risk for losing a market edge they no longer have thanks to these bloggers. Either that or they are fools being used by unethical people to cause injury to Apple.

I have no idea what the subject R&D project is, but that doesn’t matter. It is intellectual property that rightfully belongs to those that thunk it up, not to the blogosphere. Let’s step down from Apple size, to a one-man shop. Say I have thought up an invention that will set me and the fetching Mrs. Guano (not her real name) up for life. Some blogger that one of my guys foolishly talked to about the invention over beers starts up a weblog and spreads my work all over it. Do I have a right to be compensated for this take of intellectual property? I think I do. This weblogger can no more steal and broadcast my ideas any more then he can steal my personal property and sell it at a flea market.

So are bloggers automatically journalists? No. The practice of journalism does involve certain rules, procedures, and ethics like any other profession, notwithstanding current examples such as CNN, the Italian hostage/US Army target (yea right), Dan Blather, etc. Professionals will never willfully engage in any unethical nor illegal behavior – such as property theft. What we are seeing today in the MSM is a purge of those who have forgotten they are professionals in the field of journalism - not power brokers. Bloggers are redirecting the MSM back to the path it departed from long ago, but they need to follow a pattern of ethical behavior as well. Those that don’t need to be purged. Go get ‘em Apple, they earned your wrath.

UPDATE 1039: Linked the news item on this at the top. Apple is angry about unauthorized disclosure on a trade secret (aka intellectual property). I would be too, dang it! I gotta side with protection against property theft here over the blogger's supposed "First Amendment Rights." Yes, they can speak their minds and say what they want, but a line has to drawn at theft. My opinion, for what it's worth, this is property theft.