A religious label no longer fits me - Catholic, Protestant, Evangelical or Independent

I confess I do not agree with all Catholicism and Evangelism teachings. There are some of each that I like. There are some of each I believe. There are some of each I follow in my personal walk with God. There are some of each that I believe have it all wrong. Neither of them any longer totally satisfy me. I have come to believe most Catholic priest read and study the Bible with their mind and a lot of Evangelical ministers read and study the Bible using only their hearts.

Being a product of the seminary I loved those deep discussions on theology and philosophy. But, I finally realized I knew God with my mind, but I did not have a real personal heart relationship with Him.

The Bible may have become just another academic course I had to complete to be ordained. I take responsibility for it, but I also blame the priest that trained me. It was a shock when I entered the reality of ministry and found some parishioners really had a better personal relationship with God than I did - with all my book smarts. It was also a shock when I started to watch Christian television and on occasions stumbled on an Evangelical minister that had something worthwhile to say and was not begging money.

I now realize how important it is to read the Bible with both the heart and mind. I now know how important it is to stop and pause and allow God to speak to us as we read and study.  We can memorize all the scripture we want, but if it does not touch our heart we really have accomplished nothing. I guess as many Christians do we can use it to impress others.

I recently read a book on brain/thought/mind and quite time. This may sound foolish to some of you that are smarter than me, but I always thought of my brain as the organ that produced action and thought. After reading the book and spending a lot of time thinking about what the author wrote I came to believe the brain only reacts to what our mind (thought) tells it to. I wonder if the Bible really means ‘mind’ when it speaks of heart so many times.

If you are like I was you may be spending time in daily Bible study aimed more at interpreting the text than at meditation and experiencing God. You may also find your prayers are more ritualistic or formal than personal. Is your prayers dominated by petitions for needs and confession of sins. Mine was. If you are Catholic yours are probably taken from a little prayer book. It saddens me when I see Sunday after Sunday people with their little paper prayer books praying from them instead of having a simple conversation with  God.  The words used by great men of the church is not what God wants to hear. God wants to hear from us.

I began to notice many years back that parishioners were leaving the Mass after some of the priest delivered their homily without getting any practical knowledge to take with them to apply in their daily lives – a waste of time. The priests were delivering the same stuff that was delivered to them in the seminary without feeling, personal experiences or practical application given. I have found that in a lot of the Evangelical churches the congregation leaves full of emotional feeling (Adrenalin)and little mental comprehension. There needs to be a balance. What is the point in going to church if you are fed book knowledge or given an Adrenalin high that does not carry you through the week and cannot be applied to real life situations.

I am opposed to those speed reading Bible assignments that some ministers believe produce such great fruit. Read only with your mind and not your heart and you will not accomplish anything. Reading the Bible should be about establishing a personal relationship with God. I have had relatives that are more interested in CHECKING off the daily reading list given by the pastor or purchased in bookstores than really understanding how it applies to their life. That yearly Bible reading goal should not interfere with the big-picture of having 365 daily opportunities to feed your soul in God’s word.

If I am pressed for time and do not have the time to read scripture and then meditate on what I read I put it off until later in the day, but if possible always accomplish it before I go to sleep that night. Reading the Bible should not feel like an obligation it should be something you enjoy and want to do. After reading scriptures you need to take time to ponder on them (meditate) and seek how they can apply to your daily life. I have a relative that was in the hospital for about a week and unable to read her Bible. When she got home the first day she caught up on all the daily reading she had missed and called me to confirm that she had. I did not have the heart to tell her I was not impressed. I would have preferred she just picked up with the daily reading on the day she got home.

Research shows nearly six in ten (59%) of young people who grow up in Christian churches end up walking away from either their faith or from the institutional church at some point in their first decade of adult life. Sadly when asked what has helped their faith grow, “church” does not make even the top 10 factors. Instead, the most common drivers of spiritual growth, as identified by Millennials themselves, are prayer, family and friends, the Bible and their relationship with Jesus.

This tells me the organizational church is failing the young people. We need to stop blaming society and start looking within our own walls. Perhaps the organized church has allowed itself to fall out of step with modern times – I believe it has.  I think many young people feel the organized church is not relevant’ or see attending worship services ‘a boring duty’. If that is true then it is the Churches fault. I do not think most churches today offer the depth young people need to deal with their everyday life decisions. Modern life is complex!

Many Evangelical Churches have created a Young People’s Country Club or Night Club and that is not the solution in my opinion. They are looking for the same thing we adult Christians are looking for - a personal relationship with God, a place where they can be accepted for who they are and to be given an opportunity to take a meaningful and productive role in the church.

I think people have the right to expect from their church:

Acceptance

People want to feel not only welcomed and loved but also wanted. I think the Catholic Church does an awful job of making visitors feel welcome. A lot of Protestant Churches go to great pain to make first time visitors welcome and forget about them after that. Is your Church a place that welcomes people on the first visit and beyond the first visit?

Accountability

People want to be held accountable. They want someone to follow up with them and make sure they are understanding what has been taught and how it can be used in their daily life. Is your Church a place that motivates and provides  partnership to the goal of serving Christ?

Discipleship

People desire to know more about their faith whether it’s newfound or not. People want to understand what they are doing, why they are doing it and how to improve what they are doing. Is your Church a place of learning that equips the believer with the tools necessary to survive in the Christian walk? 

Opportunity

A growing Christian wants an opportunity to get involved in the ministry of the church they attend. People want to be a part of something. People want to serve, and we must not forget God wants them to serve as well. As a Church we must be excelling at preparing our members for service. Giving them an opportunity to serve Jesus. So many times we can fail because we wait too long to get new members involved in serving. They want to serve, and we must let them. Is your Church full of opportunities to serve?

Is your Church a place of acceptance, accountability, discipleship and opportunity or is it a place where the leadership has expectations for everyone else, but not themselves.

Stop waiting on God!

I am so tired of hearing people say, "Well, I am waiting on God."  Stop waiting on God and take action to solve your own problems. God is not going to do for you what God equipped you to do for yourself. I know a family that is "Waiting on God" to build a room on their small house so their mother will have her own room. Do they really expect God to deliver nails, hammers, saws and timber to their doorstep. They have internet, cable television and a car. They need to decide what is a priority and stop blaming God for their mother not having her on room.

God warned Noah and NOAH build the ark. Noah did not wait on God to build the ark. I do not take that story in the Bible literally, but it sure teaches me a lesson not to wait on God to do all the work.

In most cases if you do not have what you need it is because you have not taken action to solve your own problems. I know there are exceptions. The elderly, physically and mentally ill, children and people with special needs often need a helping hand, but if you are healthy and sitting around on your butt waiting on God remember -  the Bible says those that do not work should not eat.

IF YOU DO NOT BUILD IT GOD CANNOT BLESS IT!

Know When to Hold Them, Know When to Fold Them - Kenney Rogers

You are not a failure until you refuse to try again. I have only met two people in my lifetime who I consider to be failures.  They both had things in common: Early in life they experienced failure and regardless of the opportunities presented to them they refused to try again; they had spouses that were enablers; they refused to acknowledge their part in their failure, they were good at blaming others and both were waiting on God to turn things around.

I have always contributed my success to God and not giving up, but that does not mean there were not times when I got out. I have invested time, money and energy in some losers, but I always was willing to cut my losses and get out. I did hang in until I could sell for a small profit. What might not be good for you may be great for someone else. In all but one case the people that purchased the businesses I sold were successful and happy with the purchase.  Unfortunately, too many people do not even consider getting out as an option. They will hang in until they lose it all. I always had an exit strategy in case I needed it.

Hard work can be enjoyable if you are enjoying what you are doing, but when the enjoyment is gone it is time to get out. Thinking about your capital, time and energy invested may cloud your thinking. It is often hard to give up on the dream of what you thought you could achieve.

 It is a common misconception that winners never quit, but the truth is it can take a considerable amount of strength and courage to quit the things that are not right for you. The most successful people in the world are often the ones that have let go of something in order to pursue a bigger dream and achieve greater happiness. Winners never quit when they know they are on the right path, but when quitting is the right thing to do, quitting and refocusing your energies can lead to a happier and healthier lifestyle.

Before you judge too harshly a person that quits or fails and tries again think about how your success in life compares to the following men who failed and started over many times: Henry Ford - Ford failed five times before he founded the successful Ford Motor Company; R. H. Macy - Macy failed seven times before finally hitting big with his store in New York City; F. W. Woolworth - Woolworth was not allowed to wait on customer in a dry good store because his first employer thought he was not smart enough, but went on to found the most successful general merchandise store in the world; Soichiro Honda - Honda was turned down by Toyota Motor Corporation because they thought he was not a good engineer and he decided to make motor scooters in his home; Bill Gates - Gates dropped out of Harvard and his first business venture failed; Harland David Sanders - Sanders had his famous secret chicken recipe rejected 1,009 times before a restaurant finally accepted it; Walt Disney - Disney was fired from his first newspaper job because they said he lacked imagination; Thomas Edison – Edison was fired from two jobs and made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb, Orville and Wilbur Wright, Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, Oprah Winfrey, Harry S. Truman all experienced failures and had to start over.

If you are unhappy, have lost your passion or you are hurting yourself or others it is time to quit and try again. Continuing doing what is making you unhappy is only robbing you of a better future. We only live once and have no time to waste on anything other than what contribute to our happiness and success.

Stop thinking starting over is a waste of time. There is a lesson to be learned in everything and it is often the lessons learned in failures that can bring us one step closer to finding what really does make us happy and successful.  Failure and defeat are often life’s greatest teachers.

Fear of failure can keep us from achieving great things. Great success often depends on great risk, and failure is simply a common byproduct. To achieve your personal best you can’t fear failure. To achieve any worthy goal, we must take risks which leaves us open to the possibility of failure. Decide whether or not the goal is worth the risks involved. If it is, stop worrying and give it a try.

It is important that we remember failure can only lead to success if we learn from our failures, accept responsibility for our failures, and do not repeat past mistake while expecting a different result.

Success requires a plan, drive, patience, integrity, passion, self-confidence, hard work, self-reliance and prayer.

Euthanasia - a pagan word to most, but not me!

There was a time when I would not have considered or approved of euthanasia in any form. If it had been put to a vote I would have definitely voted against it. I like millions around the world had a closed mind to the idea. I could support my decision with ethical and religious reasons. I think my greatest fear was if the practice was allowed it would be abused and to a certain extent I still fear that. I am still against anyone other than the sufferer making the decision to end their life.  

Euthanasia, also known as assisted suicide, physician-assisted suicide and more loosely termed mercy killing, means to take a deliberate action with the express intention of ending a life to end  extreme suffering that cannot be relieved otherwise. In the majority of countries euthanasia or assisted suicide is against the law.

There are two main classifications of euthanasia:

Voluntary euthanasia - is euthanasia conducted with consent. Since 2009 voluntary euthanasia has been legal in Belgium, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Switzerland, and the states of Oregon (USA) and Washington (USA).

Involuntary euthanasia - euthanasia is conducted without consent. The decision is made by another person because the patient is incapable to doing so himself/herself.

There are two procedural classifications of euthanasia:

Passive euthanasia - this is when life-sustaining treatments are withheld.

Active euthanasia - lethal substances or forces are used to end the patient's life.

Active euthanasia is a much more controversial subject than passive euthanasia. Individuals are torn by religious, moral, ethical and compassionate arguments surrounding the issue.

I think that two factors should be considered when contemplating euthanasia: (1) is the illness or disease non-curable and (2) the extreme suffering involved cannot be relieved by other means.

In many other countries a patient can refuse treatment that is recommended by a doctor or some other health care professional, as long as they have been properly informed and are of sound mind. I think this decision should only be made by the person suffering.

Doctors regardless of the law are forced with making decisions concerning death all the time and they take into consideration what is in the best interests of the patient. Doctors consider what is in the patient's best interests based on: (1) What the patient wanted when he/she was competent, (2) The patient's general state of health and (3) The patient's spiritual and religious welfare.

Doctors and families have to decide the best option for a patient who is declared clinically brain dead and if they should switch off the life-support machines; equipment without which the patient will die. The doctor in charge will talk to the patient's family. However, the final decision is the doctor's, and strict criteria must be met. Is that not a form of euthanasia which we have come to accept?

I have stood with families when a decision had to be made to remove life support machines and I know how difficult it is. It is especially difficult when the decision is made based on suffering and not being brain dead. I would have to advise them what our church teaches about the matter and then I would go against the churches decision and tell them after seeking help from the Holy Spirit through prayer they would have to make a decision based on what they thought their loved one would want. 

I watched as a young man suffered for weeks and the doctors were telling the family he was only alive because of the life support machines. The mother finally requested the machines be taken off and the doctor refused. This was in a Catholic hospital. I ask the doctor if his faith in God allowed him to believe God could perform miracles and he said, “Yes”. I then ask the doctor if he thought if the life support systems were removed and God wanted the young man to continue to live he would and he again he said, “Yes”. I then ask the doctor if that is all true why then are you afraid to remove the life support system. He removed the life support and the young man passed away within ten minutes.

Do you remember the Karen Ann Quinlan case? She was hospitalized and eventually lapsed into a vegetative state. Several months later, while being kept alive on a ventilator, her parents asked the hospital to discontinue active care, so that she could be allowed to die. The hospital refused, there were many legal battles, and a court eventually ruled in her parent's favor. Quinlan was removed from the mechanical ventilation in 1976, but she went on living in a persistent vegetative state until 1985, when she died of pneumonia. The development of advance health directives (living wills) occurred as a result of her case. In 1977, California legalized living wills and other states soon followed.

I watched and prayed while my brother suffered with cancer in 2004. I will never forget him looking up at me and saying, “Bubba, please do not pray that God keeps me alive any longer I am hurting too bad. I am ready to go.” I took his hand and told him, “Raymond, I stopped praying that days ago and have been asking God to take you as soon as possible.” He grasps my hand tighter, his wife leaned over and kissed him and he smiled and died.

The English medical word "euthanasia" comes from the Greek word eu meaning "good", and the Greek word thanatos meaning "death".  Euthanasia is mentioned in the Hippocratic Oath. The original oath states "To please no one will I prescribe a deadly drug nor give advice which may cause his death." Even so, the ancient Greeks and Romans were not strong advocates of preserving life at any cost and were tolerant of suicide when no relief could be offered to the dying.

Suicide was a criminal act from the 1300s until the middle of the last century; this included assisting others to end their lives. Thomas More (1478-1535) - An English lawyer, scholar, author and statesman; also recognized as a saint within the Catholic Church, once envisioned a utopian community as one that would facilitate the death of those whose lives had become burdensome as a result of torturing and lingering pain. Since the early 1800s euthanasia has been a topic of debates and activism in the USA, Canada, Western Europe and Australasia.

An anti-euthanasia law was passed in the state of New York in 1828. It is the first known anti-euthanasia law in the USA. In following years many other states followed with similar laws. Several advocates, including doctors promoted euthanasia after the American Civil War. At the beginning of the 1900s support for euthanasia leveled off in the USA, and then rose up again during the 1930s. In 1935 euthanasia societies emerged in England and in 1938 in the USA. Doctor assisted suicide became legalized in Switzerland in 1937, as long as the doctor ending the patient's life had nothing to gain. During the 1960s advocacy for a right-to-die approach to euthanasia grew.

I now believe the patient should be given the option to make their own choice. Only the patient is really aware of what it is like to experience persistent, unstoppable suffering; even with pain relievers. Those who have not experienced it cannot fully appreciate what effect it has on ones quality of life. Apart from physical pain, overcoming the emotional pain of losing independence is an additional factor that only the patient comprehends fully. Every individual should be given the ability to die with dignity. It is more humane to allow a person with persistent suffering to be allowed to choose to end that suffering. If a loved pet has persistent suffering we put it down. It is seen as an act of kindness. Why should this kindness be denied to humans? Why should a patient be forced to experience a slow death?

Several religions see euthanasia as a form of murder and morally unacceptable. Some see voluntary euthanasia as a form of suicide, which goes against the teachings of many religions. They claim Euthanasia weakens society's respect for the sanctity of life. Does religion have the right to force their beliefs on everyone?

Some claim there is a risk patients may feel they are a burden on resources and are psychologically pressured into consenting. They may feel that the burden - financially, emotionally, mentally on their family is overwhelming. My father wanted to die and for eleven days he begged that he not be kept alive because of the cost and he did not want to leave my mother financially insecure – that is a valid argument in my opinion and should have been his right, but at the time I opposed.

According to the 1980 declaration from the Vatican, Jura et Bona, "euthanasia", or "mercy killing" is defined as "an action or an omission which of itself or by intention causes death, in order that all suffering may in this way be eliminated." Some in the Catholic Church say to eliminate all suffering sounds very nice, but it is very unrealistic and also very pagan. They say suffering has value and I agree some types of suffering does, but I question the point in physical suffering when no end in sight. Some in the Catholic Church claim suffering provides us with an occasion to grow in wisdom, character, and compassion - to me that sounds very nice, but may be unrealistic if you are the one suffering.

One priest ask if I Remembered the song, "He Ain't Heavy; He's My Brother". He said, “Advocates of euthanasia do not see the ill this way, but only as a burden. God forgive them.” I am not talking about someone else taking my life. I am talking about me having the right to make a choice if I want to continue to suffer and be a prison to pain and poor health. It is easy to quote grandiose religious and philosophical principles if you are not the one suffering. He claims I have become ungodly and I claim I have just become realistic. He claims all life is worth living, but has he lived in constant pain and unable to leave the house or hospital? He even ask me this stupid question, “If your car breaks down do you throw it away or have it repaired?” I have my car repaired and when it reaches the point that it can no longer be repaired I junk it – euthanasia. I also do not view a human as a “thing” so I think his example is totally asinine.

The Catholic Church is even against “Living Wills” - Catholics must follow the moral teachings of the Church in these matters and should consult a priest in specific cases. But by all means avoid "Living Wills."  I have a “Living Will” I do not want a stranger making that decision for me and I do not want to put that burden on a friend or family member. My “Living Will” states they can try to resuscitate me without using any machines to do so.

No, I do not believe in abortion because the baby does not have the right to choose to live or die, but I now believe in Euthanasia giving the person suffering the right to make the choice to die. Please do not try and tell me there is no difference because taking a life is all the same. I beg to differ with you and I respect your belief.

The reason this subject came to my mind is because yesterday I picked up my Bible and it opened to Psalm 88. The author is unknown, but most likely someone ill and suffering. He pleads with God to hear his prayers. He says he is near death; he is living, but like the dead; he feels like he is drowning; he feels like he is trapped in a prison of bad health; he feels God is not hearing his prayer; he is isolated from his friends and he pleads for a miracle. Psalm 88 sums up how I feel.

I will continue to suffer as long as God gives me the strength to do so, but when the time comes that I can no longer bear the suffering I will choose to end it. I see no glory in suffering for the sake of suffering when you are nearing the end and can no longer contribute to society. This is not a decision I made lightly. I believe if God wants me to live I will live without life support or medication. In fact I believe putting all my faith in God speaks more of my faith than to fight to stay alive by artificial means.  I do not want anyone who has not walked in my shoes to tell me what I should or should not do. I do not judge them and do not want them to judge me – please let God be God and do the judging. 

Christmas is over and now it is time to think about New Year resolutions.

 Many ancient traditions celebrate the beginning of a New Year with an emphasis on renewal or re-birth, but the New Year’s resolution as a means of self-improvement may be uniquely American. New Year resolutions are most likely a legacy from our Protestant forefathers. Originally, the tradition had a religious attitude, but now we celebrate a more secularized version of the original tradition. Early Protestantism emphasized hard work and the denial of worldly pleasure. They believed material wealth and worldly success were favors from God.

Our secular New Year’s resolutions may have its roots in ‘watch night services’. Watch night services were made popular by the Methodist church in the 18^th century in England as a way of ringing in the New Year in a more spiritual way as opposed to partying all night.

The services were a chance to reflect on the past year and make spiritual resolutions for the coming year. The practice spread to other denominations and the resolutions began to reflect Protestant ideals like emotional and physical restraint in the face of life’s indulgences.

Only countries with an English-speaking, Protestant background like Australia, England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and South Africa, had a strong tradition of making Spiritual New Year’s resolutions, while other countries did not.

Exactly when secularized New Year’s resolutions came to be popular, or whether they originated in England or the United States is unknown. Secular New Year’s Resolutions do not tend to take on a religious nature, instead they are more about things like losing weight, going to the gym, walking or running, spend less save more, enjoy life more, stop smoking, spend more time with family, take a course, fall in love, etc. Resolutions tend to reflect attitudes trending in society at the time.

There is no difference between December 31 and January 1. Nothing mystical occurs at midnight on December 31. The Bible does not speak for or against the concept of New Year’s resolutions. But, there is something about the start of a new year that gives us the feeling of a fresh start and a new beginning.

Christian New Year’s resolutions should include: to read the Bible every day, to attend church more regularly, to be more charitable, to be more forgiving, to be more loving. These are all fantastic goals for Christians. However, these New Year’s resolutions fail just as often as the non-spiritual resolutions, because there is no power in a New Year’s resolution. Resolving to start or stop doing a certain activity has no value, unless you have the proper motivation for stopping or starting that activity. For example, why do you want to read the Bible every day? Is it to honor God and grow spiritually, or is it because you have just heard that it is a good thing to do? Why do you want to lose weight? Is it to honor God with your body, or is it for vanity, to honor yourself?

What should Christians do in preparation before making New Year resolutions: (1) pray to the Lord for wisdom in regards to what resolutions, if any, He would have you make; (2) pray for wisdom as to how to fulfill the goals God gives you; (3) determine to rely on God’s strength to help you; (4) find an accountability partner who will help you and encourage you; (5) make a decision not to become discouraged with occasional failures and (6) be prepared to share the success with God.

If God is the center of your New Year’s resolution, it has a chance for success, depending on your commitment to it. If it is God’s will for something to be fulfilled, He will enable you to fulfill it. If a resolution is not God honoring and/or is not in agreement in God’s Word, we will not receive God’s help in fulfilling the resolution.

I think good New Year’s resolution focus on you and others and do not exclude either.  

Major organizations that are successful at least annually evaluate themselves. They look at where they are strong. They look at where they are weak. Why would individual not do the same? After evaluating yourself you can make healthy resolutions. A resolution is really nothing more than a goal.

After evaluation and making a resolution you are not finished in fact, you have just begun. Diligence and patients is required to succeed. Success lies in committing yourself to your resolution until you accomplish it. Lots of people have hopes for keeping their resolutions, but only about 40% do. The others are not patient and diligent enough to follow through.

You now know the process to get started and to follow through, but I must warn you ‘free will’ is a real demon. Nothing good comes easy. With God’s help you can select the proper resolutions and keep it and when December 2016 rolls around you will find your life is better for it.

All elections are important - the 2016 election is critical if you are concerned about radical Islamic terrorism.

Well the liberal Democrats are at it again according to them Republicans are responsible for the Plan Parenthood killings. They say Republican candidates are repeating lies over and over again that inflame people. I do not think the Plan Parenthood video’s I saw are lies. If they are edited, so what, I still heard people laughing over selling body parts to buy a luxury car. I think anyone that remains silent about those videos regardless of their party affiliation is a co-conspirator to murder. If I were crazy I might have done the same thing as the man in Colorado Springs and it has nothing to do with the Republican Party that I support. It has everything to do with my belief that abortion is murder and God instructed us not to commit murder.

This is so typical of the Democrats/liberal - kill the messenger if they do not agree with the message. They want to stop the truth from getting out and will use abortion to further their political agenda even if abortion is murder and immoral.

President Barack Obama told world leaders that the climate talks in Paris stand as a rejection of the terrorists. Quite frankly I think ground troops, bombs and declaring war would be much better. It would also help the economy at the expense of the terrorist. I will have a hard time voting for Donald Trump because of his lose tongue, but Donald Trump is the only one saying what I want to hear when it comes to the terrorist, trade agreements, illegal aliens and the economy. War (force) sometimes is the only thing that can bring about peace – World War I, World War II.

 Obama said World Leaders are showing the terrorist what is possible when they all come together, united by a common effort and a common purpose (climate change) – why can’t they do the same against terrorism? Why can’t our weak American President Obama get the wealthy nations to come to gather to spend the money necessary to fight the terrorist and take care of the refugees in their own land?

The IMF –World Bank - officially agreed to accept China’s currency – the Yuan – into the IMF’s foreign exchange basket. It is well known that China manipulates their currency. This only fuels the fire to remove the American dollar from being the world reserve currency. A weak U.S. dollar is one more thing Obama should take credit for, but of courses he will blame someone else. 

The people of the Philippines do not know anything but a corrupt government, therefore they accept it. They will tell you, “It is just the way it is”. Young Americans are being born into a government that is corrupt and eventually – sooner than most think – will just accept it and change will not come until a radical group take to the street to overthrow the system and once the system is overthrown corruption will likely return. We can learn that lesson from the Philippine People Power. The martial law government was overthrown, but corruption, police and military abuses continued, the rich became richer and the poor became poorer, etc.

What have Obama’s promises of change brought about; remember “Yes we can!” Unless you are for selling aborted baby parts, same sex marriages, doing away with gender designated public restrooms, forced government hospitalization, ignoring the constitution when it pleases Obama, ignoring immigration laws, more welfare, weaker military and lower standard of living what change have we gotten from Obama.

The vacuum that follows any radical change in government usually brings about a government that is not well thought out and key players in the old government can become key players in the new government thus the problems continue. That is what happen in the Philippines and could happen in the United States.

Obama was elected at a time when the people were desperate for change and they were influenced by a charismatic black politician that did not have a plan or experience. He was and is a social engineer and has no idea how to govern a people looking to return to a Federalist or Democratic Government.   

As much as I love Cory Aquino what was her plan and what experience did she have? She did make a great sacrifice for her country because she ran for an office she did not want and in doing so she most likely prevented one of the key players from the old martial law regime from becoming president. She may have prevented a second dictator from declaring martial law. But, she was constantly plagued by threats of being overthrown by key players in the old regime and her life was in constant danger. To this day the people of the Philippines continue to elect key players in the old martial law era. The people of the United States reelected Obama after a failed first term.  Why?  

We are beginning to see more radical street demonstrations in the United States such as Black Life’s Matter, Sit in’s on Wall Street, college campus protest, protester in the streets calling for people to kill policeman, etc. The American protesters are not civil and non-violent as the Philippine People Power protesters were or the American protesters days in the days of Martin Luther King and the civil rights movement.  Does anyone think that the leaders of these radical American street protesters could really lead our country? The Democratic politicians must because they support the groups and there leaders. Liberals like their ideas and Democrats (Hillary Clinton) are afraid to speak out against them for fear of losing votes in the 2016 election.    

Democrats/liberals do not want to admit it, but when prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance were removed from ours schools and public lives the decline in America only grew worse. They do not want to admit it because they are the ones that brought it about.  Removing them from public life contributed to the end of a government that people could trust and believe in. The prayer and pledge contributed to instilling pride (especially among young students) in our country.  

When I first came to the Philippines the first time I went to a movie at SM Mall the National Anthem came on.  I was so impressed it brought tears to my eyes. The Philippine National Anthem was played before every movie. Later they began to play it at the beginning of the first movie of the day. Now it is often not played at all. When the anthem was played everyone stood and sang the song. Sunday at SM Mall Davao the National Anthem was played and the only person standing was an AMERICAN – FOREIGNER – ME! 

The National Anthem in the United States is not like the Philippine anthem. The Philippine Anthem is beautiful and easy to sing. The American anthem is not beautiful and is difficult to sing. The one thing Filipino’s and American’s now have in common when it comes to their National Anthems is a lot of people  in both countries no longer show honor, pride and respect for their country when their anthems are played. That is sad! The lack of pride in one’s country leads to a downward spiral of the country. 

Today, our government wants to suppress individual thinking so our politicians like Obama can tell us what we need and what we want. The politicians (Obama) think they know best.  The people are so confused by politician’s double talk that they have stopped trying to understand it or corrected it and accept it as the way it is.  We are following in the footsteps of the Philippines and we are not intelligent enough voters to learn from there mistakes.  

Evil is no longer on the way - it is among us. Sen. Jeff Sessions has been in the news lately trying to draw attention to a list of “vetted refugees” who have joined terror cells after being permitted entry into the United States. President Obama continues to move forward with a plan to bring thousands of refugees from terrorist filled nations in the Middle East to the United States despite top security officials’ warnings that the government can’t possibly vet all of them. Last month, FBI director James Comey said, “The U.S. government simply doesn’t have enough intelligence information about individual refugees to satisfactorily complete the vetting process” – this is a man appointed by OBAMA.

Will we also follow in the footsteps of the Philippines and designate a certain area in the United States to be ruled by Muslims? Will we engage in a thirty plus year war within our own borders trying to have one country, but two sets of rules? I do not think two governments, but one nation will work.  Three but one (Trinity) which came about in 325 continues to cause confusion among Christians.  What happen to ONE Nation under God?

I am old enough to remember the days when countries around the world wanted to model themselves after the United States, but those days are long gone. Most Third World Countries today try to straddle the fence between the United States, China and Russia. They do not want to be on the wrong side if things grow worse. As long as the United States has a weak President I do not blame them.

I read that over 3000 expats have given up their United States citizen in the last few years. I realize most of them did so because of tax reasons. Regardless of the reasons that is something that no American would have considered a decade ago. Honestly, if citizenship was easier to obtain in the Philippines than it is I might consider Philippine citizenship myself. I have no intention of returning to the United States. I have hope for the Philippines there have been advancements in the last few years (it has taken nearly 30 years), whereas over the past eight years the United States has regressed (will it take 30 years for us to recover from Obama). 

The 2016 elections are more than important they are critical! Voter had better vote wisely and not vote name recognition, political party affiliation, family name (Jeb Bush) or buy into political campaign promises. They had best not vote the favored party bosses candidates. There is a reason these party bosses select a favorite candidate and it is not always for the good of the people. We all had better strive to know what the candidate we vote for really stands for.  The candidates past history is the best gauge of that and with a little work, thanks to modern day video and Internet, we can discover what they have said and done in the past.

 

 

Don't let Thanksgiving lose its true meaning?

I have lived abroad now for over ten years and I do okay until the first of November. On the first of November I begin to think about the Thanksgivings we celebrated in America. I do not know if I miss the family or the food the most. By the time Thanksgiving arrives I have dreamed of turkey, fruit salad/coconut, fresh green beans, baked ham, candied yams, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, potato salad that is not lumpy, squash casserole, homemade rolls, mashed potatoes, cranberries, stuffing/dressing and sweeten tea so many times I have had to change the pillow case ten to twenty times because I have salivated on my pillow every night.  

Each year I go through the same grieving process. It is as if my best friend has died. I know intellectually it is coming and I tell myself every year I will not let it get me down. I will get up and go about my day like all the natives of my new home who do not celebrate Thanksgiving.  It will be just another day of the year, but then the Monday before Thanksgiving arrives and the emotions begin to get the best of me.

Thanksgiving is the one holiday that defines America as a nation. It is the one day when the men of the house have no expectations except to relax and eat. Thanksgiving is the day we can eat all we want and not feel guilty. We tell ourselves New Year is just around the corner and we will make a New Year resolution to diet or exercise. Sorry ladies it is a day of long hours and hard work for you, but you know you love it. It is the day you can really show off your cooking talents to family and friends. We love you for it!

I think Thanksgiving should be an international holiday. Doesn’t every man in the world need a day to relax, eat all they want and have no expectations placed upon them.

I try to console myself by thinking of all the poor people working in retail in America that will not have the opportunity to celebrate Thanksgiving because of their greedy employers. Retail workers across the country will have to work and most have no choice in the matter. There is no mandatory paid vacation in the United States, meaning that employees could be threatened with firings if they choose to take Thanksgiving off to spend with their families. Some retailers like Kmart, refuse to make accommodations for employees’ holiday schedules. Last year, Target threatened to fire employees who took off for Thanksgiving.

Sadly because of changes in society some families have forgotten why the day was established. Its meaning has slowly deteriorated, and is now almost completely lost under a cloud of media hype, sales pitches, marketing tactics and commercialism. My oldest sister never allowed our family to lose sight of the real meaning of Thanksgiving.

I would like to take a moment to remind those American families that have forgotten and let my new friends in the Philippines know how Thanksgiving originated.

In August 1620, the Mayflower, a 180-ton ship, set sail from Southampton, England with 102 passengers they would become some of the founding pilgrims of the United States of America, and the initiators of one of this nation’s most popular holidays.

After weeks on rough Atlantic waters, battling strong winds, pounding waves and a number of problems with their vessel, the pilgrims spotted Cape Cod, off the coast of Massachusetts. The storm was so strong that they did not land at their intended destination. Their intended location was off the Virginia coast, where other pilgrims had begun colonies.

Before anchoring at Plymouth Rock and disembarking to explore the territory, the pilgrims devised the “Mayflower Compact.” This was to serve as the basis for governing their new colony, where all would have the freedom to worship God as they chose.

The compact stated, “We whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread sovereign lord King James…Having undertaken, for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith, and honor of our king and country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia, do by these presents solemnly and mutually in the presence of God and one of another, covenant, and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic, for our better ordering and preservation, and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions, offices from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the colony: unto which we promise all due submission and obedience...”

The next few months would prove to be difficult. More than half of the original pilgrims did not survive the first, long cold New England winter. Often, two or three people would die in one day due to infection and sickness.

But, with the approaching of spring came new hope. The survivors built homes and planted crops. They made friendships with local Indian tribes, and traded with them. The passing of winter allowed the pilgrims to labor and produce and the colony flourished.

After reaping their first harvest in the fall of 1621, the pilgrims dedicated a day for thanking God for the bounty with which He had blessed them. They were at peace with their neighbors and they were especially grateful for their harvest. This allowed them to gather and store food and crops for the long cold winter ahead.

Their governor, William Bradford, proclaimed a day of thanksgiving toward God. They prepared a great feast to enjoy with family and friends from within the colony and with neighboring Indian tribes.

The following quotes from America’s God and Country demonstrate Bradford’s and the colony’s thankfulness for God’s protection and blessings: “Being thus arrived in a good harbor, and brought safe to land, they fell upon their knees and blessed the God of Heaven who had brought them over the vast and furious ocean, and delivered them from all the perils and miseries thereof, again to set their feet on the firm and stable earth, their proper element. Thus out of small beginnings greater things have been produced by His hand that made all things of nothing, and gives being to all things that are; and, as one small candle may light a thousand, so the light here kindled hath shone unto many, yea in some sort to our whole nation; let the glorious name of God have all the praise”.

Clearly, pilgrims of the Plymouth colony gave God credit for all that they had. Notice the many references to God, and their acknowledgement of how He granted them so many blessings. The pilgrim’s beliefs were firmly entrenched in the realization of God’s presence and intervention in their everyday lives. Thanksgiving Day began because of this belief. It is a day dedicated to giving thanks to God for the many things we often take for granted.

Over the years, many colonies did keep Thanksgiving, but they kept various other days of thanksgiving, at different times of the year. It is a popular misconception that the pilgrims kept Thanksgiving on the same day each year following the first celebration in 1621 and that the other colonies began keeping that same day. In fact, it was a tradition always used to highlight and show gratitude for important events, such as bountiful harvests, victories in battle, etc. Whenever these took place, the colony called for the celebration of a day of thanksgiving.

In the late 1700s, during the American Revolution, the Continental Congresses suggested the yearly observance of a day of national thanksgiving, in hopes to unite factious states.

In 1817, the state of New York adopted Thanksgiving Day as an annual holiday. By the mid-1800s, other states likewise adopted the practice. In 1863, President Lincoln appointed it as a national holiday, and gave a Thanksgiving proclamation. Each president since then has issued a proclamation, announcing the celebration of this day.

Although most ancient harvest festivals were usually influenced by paganism, history shows Thanksgiving Day as practiced in North America was unique. The originators of this day focused upon giving thanks for an abundant harvest, sorely needed for survival. Being centered on giving thanks to the Creator is a major distinction in origin that separates Thanksgiving Day from holidays tainted with pagan origins.

The pilgrims could never have imagined that America would become the global power it is today. The U.S. has continuously been at the forefront of economic prosperity, medical science, technology, food production and space exploration. Its citizens enjoy the freedoms of religion and speech. It is country known for its charitable works.

Yet Americans over the last two decades seem to be slowly forgetting where these blessings come from. Some seem to also be forgetting that there are conditions to receiving God’s blessings. The condition is obedience to God!

 Americans enjoy many blessings that others in the world do not enjoy and we should always be grateful and give thanks to God for them. Before the younger generations lose sight of God’s blessings upon America they had better study the history of Rome, Greece, Egypt, England, Portuguese, Spain and France.

As Thanksgiving Day approaches consider the many wonderful blessings you enjoy. Be grateful for these wonderful benefits. Realize that these material blessings were not given to us because of anything we have done—we do not deserve them. God has bestowed them on us—simply because of His mercy.

Before you and your family enjoy Thanksgiving dinner, or begin watching a parade or football game, be sure to take time to truly thank God in prayer for the national wealth, power and prestige God has given the United States.

I am also thankful that my sister always made sure Thanksgiving was a family day that included our offering thanks to God.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO THE PEOPLE OF THE WORLD!

 

 

Can you explain the Trinity - I can't either?

 

Math has never been a strong subject for me.  I remember dreading algebra, geometry and algebra II.  I took a practical math class my senior year in high school where I learn to balance a check book. I had heard the course was a breeze and I did not want to jeopardize by G.P.A. by taking Trigonometry. Memorizing math formulas and the rules of math was difficult.  Every time I got a concept in math class we would move on to another concept.  I could not keep up!

My mind was more suited to the humanities like religion, philosophy, government and history.  In those classes, the answer was usually subjective. In the humanity classes, thinking and discussing were at the center of learning.

Theologically, there is a mathematical concept that has confused scholars, thinkers, and Christians for centuries. The Triune God: 3 = 1 and 1 = 3.  Many non-Christians are confused by our math.  Many non-Christians see three separate Gods: The Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit. To be honest I have never heard anyone explain it so that I fully understood. I accept the concept on faith. How can Christians say they believe in one God when they name off three – Father, Son and Holy Spirit?

In the 3rd and 4th centuries, Christians were struggling with their one God three person concept - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Without getting into the history of the Trinitarian debate there was a few guys who seemed to solve the problem.  The Cappadocian Fathers gave us the understanding of three substances, but one essence of God. The Cappadocian Fathers stated that the Godhead - Father, Son and Holy Spirit) exists simultaneously in three modes of being, but are one in essence and unity. They have one nature and one is not subordinate to another.

Confused?  Think about the properties of water that can be found in three states (essences) - liquid, gas, or solid.  Water flows as a liquid, can be a vapor as gas, or can be frozen as a solid.  Regardless of its physical state or form it is still water.  The properties change, but water remains as water even though it can take three different shapes or forms.  Consider the sun it gives light, heat and radiation - three distinct aspects, but only one sun. The same can be said of the Trinity. God is still one God (one Godhead), but in three forms that share similar properties made up of one substance.  No illustration we use to explain the Trinity concept is going to be perfect.

Similes and metaphors may come close to explaining an idea, but never fully explain it. Trying to explain God is like trying to explain an emotion.  There are no words that can fully describe God or an emotion.  How do you describe the Divine?  How do you describe something greater than ourselves? There is a certain mystery about God that we are meant to be in awe of.

In John 3, Jesus is trying to explain to Nicodemus the relationship of the Triune God and how he must be “born of water and Spirit”. (John 3:5).  As a Jew, Nicodemus was under the covenant of Abraham and was “saved”. Jesus seeks to introduce the new covenant of Christ’s sacrifice as the Son, the need to be born of the Holy Spirit through baptism, and understanding how the Father sent the Son out of love.  These were all new concepts to Nicodemus and that is why he asks, “How can anyone be born after having grown old?” (John 3:4).  We, like Nicodemus, sometimes are confused by all the theology. We need help to understand it. Though we may struggle, Jesus made one thing clear: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may not perish but may have eternal life.” (John 3:16).

As a Christian we should seek to understand how the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all God.  They are all unified, but each has distinct roles. How have you connected with the Triune God?  Do you tend to focus on one over the other?  How do you incorporate the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in your worship, devotions, and your life? The Holy Spirit is often ignored. How does the Holy Spirit work in your my life?

The term: "Tri" meaning three, and "Unity" meaning one, Tri+Unity = Trinity. It is a way of acknowledging what the Bible reveals to us about God, that God is three "Persons" who have the same essence of deity.

From the very beginning we see God as a Trinity. Notice the plural pronouns "us" and "our" in Genesis 1:26 -- Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

Though not a complete list, here is some other Scripture that shows God is one, in Trinity: “And after being baptized, Jesus went up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased." (Matt. 3:16-17). “Jesus said: "I and the Father are one." (John 10:30). "He who has seen me has seen the Father." (John 14:9).

“Trinity” is not found in Scripture. This is a term that is used to attempt to describe the triune God—three coexistent, co-eternal Persons who make up God. The Trinity is a controversial doctrine; many Christians admit they don't understand it, while many more Christians don't understand it, but think they do.

Trinity Sunday, which falls on the first Sunday after Pentecost, is one of the few feasts in the Christian calendar that celebrate a doctrine rather than an event. The complexity of the doctrine of the Trinity should not prevent us from teaching it. Teaching about the Trinity not only enhances our faithfulness to the God depicted in the story of Jesus, it can enrich the church’s view of the Christian life.

“PRAISE FATHER, SON, AND HOLY SPIRIT”.

 

 

Teachings of Pope Francis - Part IV

Do we really believe in love for God and for others?

Think about making a world of goodness, beauty and truth. You can do this, you have the power to do it. If you do not do it, it is because of laziness.

We should ask the Lord for the wisdom of discernment. Many believe they live in light but they are in darkness and are unaware of it! Where Jesus is there is always humility, meekness, love and the Cross.

Can we learn once again to walk and live in the ways of peace? Violence and war are never the way to peace! Open yourself to dialogue and reconciliation. Rebuild the harmony that has been shattered.

God's world is a world where everyone feels responsible for the other. Is this the world that we desire?

How can we bear witness? How can we forgive? How can we not hate our neighbor? How can we avoid gossiping? Think upon Jesus' suffering.

Let's all think of a person with whom we are annoyed, whom we are angry, someone we do not like. Let us pray for this person and let us become merciful with this person.

Let us pray our leaders will govern us well.

We cannot serve two masters - you cannot serve both God and money. It just doesn't work. May the Lord help us all to not fall into the trap of idolatry of money.

Let us overcome our fear of getting our hands dirty so we can help those in need.

Have complete trust in God and in His mercy. This is the power of prayer! Let us never tire of knocking at God's door. Every day let us carry our cares to God in prayer.

Solidarity is a word that bothers us because it requires us to look at another and give our self to another with love.

We cannot follow Jesus on the path of love unless we first love others, unless we force ourselves to work together, to understand each other and to forgive each other. We must do works of mercy and charity with love.

Sometimes we find arrogance in serving the poor! Some exploit the poor for their own personal interests and their own vanity. It would be better if these people stayed at home!

People can't and mustn't be lacking in hope, hope is part of your being.

Difficulties must not frighten you but on the contrary spur you to go beyond them. Following Jesus is demanding, it means not being satisfied with small goals but aiming on high with courage!

Go out of yourselves. Open your heart to brotherhood, to friendship and to solidarity.

Let's stay united in prayer. Saints are ordinary people who instead of complaining let down their nets for a catch. They look for opportunities.

Let God write our history.