A quick temper

 Proverbs 14:17 says A man of quick temper acts foolishly, and a man of evil devices is hated.

I learned this well tonight when someone was arguing over something trivial and I lost my temper. I can't lie and say that I held my tongue, I didn't. I had some choice words for this person. And in the process I hurt a dear friend of mine. When I apologized to my friend she accepted, when I apologized to the person I was arguing with, they chose not to accept the apology. 

The hardest thing to stay to my friend was "I want you to know I do love you and value our friendship...and I screwed up tonight." If you have never messed up a friendship then you don't know how hard those words are to speak. However, if you have messed up, then you know beyond a doubt how hard those words are to speak. 

This being said, I can only hope that God will honor the line of the Lord's prayer from Luke 11:4 And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.”

My Response to a Biden Presidency

If you are an American, today is a day that only comes once every four years: Inauguration Day. For those that may not know what this means, Inauguration Day marks the day that the outgoing president transfers power to a new president or when the recently reelected president begins their second term. 

Over the past few months, I have continued to speak against Trump, and when he instigated an insurrection against our country, I knew I couldn't lie for the Good that he had done for my retirement and stocks, because it was no longer good. In fact, the very thing that many people are scared of, has become (regardless if they want to admit it or not) reality. 

However, what is really disheartening is that our country is currently split up because there are so many people that believe our current President will continue his presidency. Most of the reason is because of the lies they are continuing to be fed and believe. Even Joseph Goebbels, the 3rd Reich's Minister of Propaganda said "If the lie is big enough and you keep repeating it, people will eventually believe it." He also stated “Propaganda works best when those who are being manipulated are confident they are acting on their own free will.”

But what does the Bible say about our government? 

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Romans 13:1

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 1 Timothy 2:1-2

Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 1 Peter 2:13-14

They said, “Caesar's.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.” Matthew 22:21

Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. Titus 3:1-2

Think about that, we are told to be subject to governing authorities, we are told to pray for our leaders, we are told that for the Lord's sake to be subject to government and even Jesus told the people to render to Caesar what belonged to Caesar.

No where did God tell us to listen to lies, no where does God tell us to rise against our government. Even when the Centurion came to arrest Jesus, John 18 tells us that He commanded Peter to put away his sword; then asked "shall I not drink the cup the Father has given Me?" (verse 11).

The idea that the democrats are going to usher in socialism/communism is utterly ridiculous. Why? Because the US is such a diverse country, and that is our strength, even Max Beer, an Australian Socialist wrote, 

Even when the time is ripe for a Socialist movement, it can only produce one when the working people form a certain cultural unity, that is, when they have a common language, a common history, a common mode of life. This is the case in Europe, but not in the United States. Its factories, mines, farms, and the organizations based on them are composite bodies, containing the most heterogeneous elements, and lacking stability and the sentiment of solidarity.

So later today, I will join in with Pastor Robert Jeffress in saying 

When Joe Biden becomes president, we should commend him for the things he does right. We should condemn the things he does wrong. And above all, we must pray fervently for our president. If President Biden succeeds, we all succeed. May God bless Joe Biden, and may God bless the United States of America. 

Verses taken from the ESV Bible; Quotes are in block text and linked...

Freedom of Speech doesn't mean Freedom from Consequence

When I wrote my previous post, I knew that the post would anger some readers. In fact one such comment came as a demand, by J.B., "Please remove the “Hitler had Aspergers” comment immediately . It is a minority viewpoint, and it perpetuates a growing paranoia that autistic individuals are violent sociopaths."  First off, by a show of hands/comments how many people believe that autistic people are sociopaths? What if the "viewpoint" is because every time there is a mass murder, the suspect is typically a white male and our first words are "He had mental issues." This my friends is where the lie gets perpetuated. He then became quite irate when I advised that was part of an article that I had used in my blog. Which he says that I "stole" the work and didn't cite it. However, writing a blog is quite different than writing an essay. Linking articles is attributing to the original author the work. 

Equally when we write using "Blocking Text" is quoting. Yet, instead of speaking rationally about why he believes I should remove my quote from the 13 similarities, he has attacked me as a writer. I remain unapologetic towards anyone who chooses to become angry over a quote, and makes demands. This however, does lead me to my next point. Just as everyone who has freedom of speech, it doesn't mean that your freedom is without consequence. 

This week, many people have been angered because the President has lost his Twitter and Facebook accounts. They have been citing the First Amendment; with very little success to those who have studied the Constitution.

Twitter's Terms of Service (TOS) state 

Hateful conduct: You may not promote violence against or directly attack or threaten other people on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, caste, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, religious affiliation, age, disability, or serious disease. We also do not allow accounts whose primary purpose is inciting harm towards others on the basis of these categories. 

Hateful imagery and display names: You may not use hateful images or symbols in your profile image or profile header. You also may not use your username, display name, or profile bio to engage in abusive behavior, such as targeted harassment or expressing hate towards a person, group, or protected category. 

Facebook has a similar TOS: We do not allow hate speech on Facebook because it creates an environment of intimidation and exclusion and in some cases may promote real-world violence.

We define hate speech as a direct attack on people based on what we call protected characteristics — race, ethnicity, national origin, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, caste, sex, gender, gender identity, and serious disease or disability. We protect against attacks on the basis of age when age is paired with another protected characteristic, and also provide certain protections for immigration status. We define attack as violent or dehumanizing speech, harmful stereotypes, statements of inferiority, or calls for exclusion or segregation. We separate attacks into three tiers of severity, as described below.

Sometimes people share content containing someone else’s hate speech for the purpose of raising awareness or educating others. In some cases, words or terms that might otherwise violate our standards are used self-referentially or in an empowering way. People sometimes express contempt in the context of a romantic break-up. Other times, they use gender-exclusive language to control membership in a health or positive support group, such as a breastfeeding group for women only. In all of these cases, we allow the content but expect people to clearly indicate their intent, which helps us better understand why they shared it. Where the intention is unclear, we may remove the content.

In addition, we believe that people are more responsible when they share this kind of commentary using their authentic identity.

Because Mr. Trump's posts violated the TOS of both Twitter and Facebook, he was banned. Because Parler's TOS offers free speech and allows for hate-speech, Amazon's seller TOS states Amazon does not allow products that promote, incite or glorify hatred, violence, racial, sexual or religious intolerance or promote organizations with such views. We'll also remove listings that graphically portray violence or victims of violence. We promote trust and respect, as well as adherence to the law.

The First Amendment states 

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. 

You see that, right, CONGRESS, not individual companies. You can't come to my photography studio, sign a contact and say you will pay me a sitting fee of $25 per person and when you arrive for the shoot, pay me only $10 for the entire sitting. It's the the agreed upon terms. When I set up Twitter, Facebook, and MySpace back in the day, I too had to agree to the terms of service, when the President set up Twitter, and Facebook, he agreed to their terms of service, just because he's the president doesn't mean he can change them or get his way. 

The banning of the president isn't against our constitution, it's against our preferences, but it is certainly not against our constitution. According to an article in Business Insider, 

"The First Amendment is a constraint on the power of government. It doesn't apply to Twitter," said Daphne Keller, an attorney and internet law expert who leads the program on platform regulation at Stanford University's Cyber Policy Center, adding: "Twitter is not a state actor."

Just because we have freedom of speech doesn't mean we are freed from the consequence of said freedom. I am certainly not free from the consequences of my words, and neither is anyone else.

The Evangelical's Day of Reckoning

I believe the time has come that evangelical Christians are facing a day of reckoning when it comes to Donald Trump. Since 2016, I have been against Trump while most evangelicals are loving him. I have been targeted by other Christians and told that "You are not saved." "You aren't a real Christian." By family and friends "you will have to vote for Trump and ask forgiveness later." 

In the 2020 election, I voted for Trump, but it wasn't because I wanted him as President, it was because my retirement funds have done very well under his leadership; and because while this pandemic has gone on, he has not required a payment on my student loans, and I couldn't reconcile my beliefs on abortion to be able to vote for any of the other candidates.

However, on January 6, 2021, he encouraged his supporters to disrupt the election process, the certification of the Electoral College vote. As I watched the events unfolding, I was reminded of how fast Hitler rose to power, and how blindly people followed him. April 20, 2021 is the 132nd anniversary of Hitler's birth. After being involved in a mustard gas attack, Hitler was resting in a hospital when Germany admitted defeat, however, once out of the hospital, he went to work for Military Intelligence. It was this "job" that put Hitler in touch with the German Worker's Party.

What disappoints me is that our own people, the American people want to paint Democrats in the light of Nazism, while they forget to look at their own behavior when it comes to Donald Trump. I recently read an article that spoke about 13 similarities between Adolf Hitler and Donald Trump...similarities that at some point every Christian will have to exam. However, I am not an alarmist, it is too late for that; in fact, I remained very quiet the last 4 years and have only spoken out when I deemed it 100% necessary. Other critics echoed the claim of Anne Frank's stepsister, Eva Schloss, who told Newsweek in January 2016 that Trump was “acting like another Hitler” because of his demagoguery.

Three of the similarities that stuck out to me, were honestly what I spoke out about, but the other 10 similarities must also be dealt with, probably in a individual fashion. 

1. In the 1920s poor Jews flooded into German cities from eastern Europe. Adolf Hitler rallied his followers with claims that these immigrants were taking jobs from Germans and that many of these immigrants were criminals and rapists. Donald Trump campaigned successfully with similar allegations about Mexican immigrants.
2. Adolf Hitler and the Nazi leadership were not religious, and rallied their followers with hatred of Jews and Catholics. Donald Trump isn’t religious and rallies his followers with hatred of Muslims.
3. Adolf Hitler had Asperger’s, with a high intelligence, poor social skills, singular obsessions with conspiracy theories, and an intolerance of anyone who disagreed with him. His deepest need was to be seen as a genius. Donald Trump has narcissism, with a high intelligence, odd social skills, belief in conspiracy theories, and an intolerance of people who disagree with him. His deepest need is for excessive admiration and support of his grandiose sense of self-importance.

And from what I can deduce from Trump's followers, and what I know about Hitler, his public persona proclaimed him to be unlike his contemporaries; he was a genius, plucked from obscurity by providence to pursue his vital mission. He had no equals and no mentors, only followers. He had emerged, fully formed, beholden to no-one, a man apart. He was not a politician – he was a messiah.

Because of this "Messiah Complex" Christians are on the verge of idol worship.  No matter what I say, on my social media, there is constantly someone coming against me with "Trump didn't do this, it was ANTIFA." Even when it is proven the people that have been arrested are ardent Trump supporters. I have been lucky in some ways though, I am a history buff, and my friends who are seeking true understanding, trying to figure out truth from fiction have been emailing, calling, texting me for my understanding in light of history. 

This brings me to the fact that Christians will and must face a day of reckoning. As Ed Stetzer wrote in USA Today, "Yet of greater concern for me is the trail of destruction he has left within the evangelical movement. Tempted by power and trapped within a culture war theology, too many evangelicals tied their fate to a man who embodied neither their faith nor their vision of political character. Americans (and the world) have the right to ask us some hard questions. Some of us were vocal, often and early, about the dangers of Trumpism." In an article by The Atlantic, Andy Stanley was interviewed, and discussed what Mr. Trump has done to damage the church, "In the Gospels, Jesus calls on his followers to go out, teach his message, and baptize people. Stanley has organized his life around this imperative, called “the Great Commission.” The question for evangelicals, now, is whether the undeniable association between Trump and their version of Christianity will make that work harder. “Has this group of people who have somehow become ‘evangelical leaders’” aligned with Trump “hurt the Church’s ability to reach people outside the Church? Absolutely,” Stanley said. But he’s not overly worried: A year or two from now, he said, “all that goes away.” New leaders will rise up. The Trump era of evangelical history will fade. Stanley chuckled. “And this will just be, for a lot of people, a bad dream.” Not everyone believes that recovering from the Trump era will be so simple for the Church, however. “We Christians have a lot of ground to make up now against those evangelical Trump followers whose devotion to him bordered on the idolatrous,” Mark Galli, the former editor in chief of Christianity Today, told me.

Equally I took time to read what religious leaders were discussing and how they were encouraging their members. 

Here is a sampling of reaction from faith leaders across the country:

U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops

“Lord God of peace, hear our prayer.”

Southern Baptist Convention President J.D. Greear

“Peaceable transitions of power have marked our Republic since the beginning. It is part of honoring and submitting to God’s ordained leaders whether they were our choice or not. We need you, @POTUS to condemn this mob. Let’s move forward together. Praying for safety.”

Rabbi Jack Moline, president of Interfaith Alliance

“The sickening sight of rioters storming the U.S. Capitol Building as members of Congress try to carry out their constitutional duties should be condemned by all Americans. We are not witnessing a peaceful protest — this is a violent attack on our democracy. President Trump must ask his supporters to peacefully withdraw from the Capitol grounds immediately.”

California megachurch pastor Rick Warren

“Armed breaching of capitol security behind a confederate flag is anarchy, unAmerican, criminal treason and domestic terrorism. President Trump must clearly tell his supporters ‘We lost. Go home now.’

Evangelist Franklin Graham

“They have a right to protest. To tell people to go home, it’s not for me to decide that. The people who broke the windows in the Capital did not look like the people out there demonstrating. Most likely it was antifa. For people busting windows, they need to go home. But for people standing out there peacefully holding flags, and protesting, they have every right to do that.”

Rabbi Jonah Dov Pesner, director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism

“We are witnessing an unprecedented assault not just on the U.S. Capitol building and members of Congress, but on American democracy itself. The scenes of insurrectionists breaching Capitol security, of Senators and Representatives hiding under chairs on the chamber floor praying with the chaplain while Capitol police stand at the ready, are terrifying and heartbreaking.”

The Rev. Al Sharpton, president of National Action Network

“We had over 200,000 people March on Washington last August. Not one incident or arrest. Compare that to the bedlam unleashed today in DC and ask yourself. Who are the real patriots?”

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins

“The violent, lawless actions at the U.S. Capitol building against Congress and Capitol Police are wrong and dangerous for our republic. Lawlessness is not the way, and such actions makes it difficult for law-abiding Americans to fight the good fight. Pray for our Republic!”

Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Michael Curry

“The events at our Capitol today are deeply disturbing. We believe the actions of armed protesters represent a coup attempt. … This threatens the integrity of our democracy, the national security of our nation, the continuity of government and the lives and safety of our legislators, their staffs, law enforcement and all who work in the Capitol.”

The Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, president, National Hispanic Leadership Conference and the Rev. Johnnie Moore, president, The Congress of Christian Leaders

“Under these circumstances, there is no conceivable situation where what happened within the U.S. Capitol today is acceptable activity. Violent, anarchist behavior emanating from the far left or the far right is immoral and criminal. It should be summarily condemned — beginning with the President of the United States — and its perpetrators ought to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Those many thousands of peaceful protestors whose first amendment rights have been spoiled by this behavior should go home for their own safety. We are relieved that both the President-Elect and President Trump have now spoken directly to the issue telling protesters in D.C. to go home, calling for peace. We call on all Americans —  Democrat and Republican — to unite in prayer for our nation that righteousness and justice, love and faithfulness will guide the heart of our nation (Ps. 89:14).”

Daniel Darling, senior vice president of communications, National Religious Broadcasters

“What we can do in this moment:
1) Pray for everyone in DC, for safety and restoration of order
2) Repent, reflect, mourn
3) Pray for our country and our next President, Joe Biden
4) Work to bridge and heal divides. Dunking is cathartic but ineffective

5) Speak truth, not lies”

Southern Baptist ethicist Russell Moore

“This mob attack on our Capitol and our Constitution is immoral, unjust, dangerous, and inexcusable. What has happened to our country is tragic, and could have been avoided. …
President @realDonaldTrump, you have a moral responsibility to call on these mobs to stop this dangerous and anti-constitutional anarchy. Please do so.”

Rachel Laser, president of Americans United for Separation of Church and State

“In a moment of national crisis and terror, Trump said ‘we love you; you’re very special’ to these White Christian nationalists. Take that in.”

Nihad Awad, national executive director, Council on American-Islamic Relations

“Today’s attack on the U.S. Capitol represents the culmination of the far-right extremism that Donald Trump first unleashed on the campaign trail five years ago. Make no mistake: the armed Trump supporters who stormed the U.S. Capitol are violent insurrectionists. We pray for the safety of everyone under siege on Capitol Hill, including lawmakers and their staff. We call on our government to protect those in harm’s way, and we urge Congress to demand that President Trump, who is responsible for every act of seditious violence committed today, resign or face impeachment.”

Pastor Jack Graham of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas

“Violence at our nation’s capital is to be condemned and law and order must prevail. Pray for our country. This is heartbreaking.”

Bible teacher Beth Moore

“I don’t know the Jesus some have paraded and waved around in the middle of this treachery today. They may be acting in the name of some other Jesus but that’s not Jesus of the Gospels.”

The Rev. John Dorhauer, general minister and president of the United Church of Christ

“I never in my life thought I would ever witness such a thing. It is a night for prayer, my friends. I call us all to pray tonight for a peace to settle throughout our land. Before this escalates further, may we all be vigilant in our prayerful support for a quick and peaceful end to this.”

United Methodist Bishop LaTrelle Easterling, leader of the Baltimore-Washington Conference

“This alarming occupation and violence at the U.S. Capitol are symptomatic of the vitriol and poison that now infects our culture. It disheartens. The rioters who climbed the steps and walls of the Capitol sought to overturn the law, a fair election, and justice, and claimed their motivation was to defend God and their freedoms. They waved banners emblazoned with the words, ‘Jesus Saves,’ but this is not what Emmanuel came to earth to embody. This is a perversion of the Gospel. This should drive all of us to our knees.”

Rabbis Marvin Hier and Abraham Cooper, senior officials of the Simon Wiesenthal Center

“The right to protest is sacrosanct in American life. But the very values and rights bestowed by our democracy are degraded and diminished when police officers have to draw their guns to protect our duly elected officials in heart of our nation by violent protesters who, by their reckless and dangerous behavior have inflicted grievous wounds on our nation. Nothing, not even the emotional charges of voter fraud in a presidential election, can ever legitimize or excuse such behavior. For as the Talmud warns, ‘Pray for the welfare of the government, for without…it man would swallow his fellow.’ Today is a dark day for America.”

Diane Randall, general secretary of the Friends Committee on National Legislation

“At the macro level, we’ve failed to teach people how to make change, how our system of government and democracy work. Faith teaches us that violence is anathema, and that it’s dialogue that actually has the bigger impact.”

Homi D. Gandhi, immediate past president, Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America

“We are outraged and deplore such mobocracy actions resulting from the President’s urging the unruly mob to overturn the declaration of election results. Like you all, I value the Freedoms of Human Rights and Religion. And like you all, I will work and dream of bringing peace and prosperity for everyone in our world.”

Leaders of Christian Churches Together Latino Network and other Latino groups

“In the face of the events transpiring at the U.S. Capitol yesterday, we, the followers of the Prince of Peace, won’t stay silent. We condemn the unlawful actions of the rioters in Washington, DC. We also denounce the dangerous actions, misinformation campaigns, and incendiary rhetoric of President Donald Trump and other political leaders who have encouraged these unprecedented acts of violence. These acts of violence are contrary to the laws and norms that have ruled our country since its founding and represent a seditious attack on the operation of government itself. We hope that all Christian leaders will reject these reckless acts that not only subvert our democracy but have endangered Congressional members, staff, law enforcement, and the public.”

However, even though many have had their eyes opened, I do not see how so many Christians still back up the President's actions and I can only say that we will be facing a day of reckoning; and I can only hope that our response will be enough that Christ can continue to shine through us. 

*Note: the post is not suggesting that anyone one the autism spectrum is remotely going to be like Hitler just because they have autism. I chose to keep the quote in it's original, but added this note for clarification. Equally, to read the comment, below in it's entirety you will want to visit this site. 

God has Numbered Our Days

I had a very interesting conversation today, Monday, January 4, 2021 with a self-appointed Bishop. On Facebook he had posted that if Pastor's would carry guns they could protect their flock. He was basing this on the fact that there was a Pastor killed on Sunday, January 3rd. Now according to this self-appointed bishop, if the pastor had been carrying a gun, he wouldn't have been killed. My exception to this is that he was carrying a gun and it was taken away from him. So the bishop stated that "pastor" should have known martial arts and that would have stopped the gunman, then bragged about how many years he's been a black belt. In other words, this pastor's death was the pastor's fault. 

However, I don't believe it was the fault of the pastor. In fact, I tend to believe that God has the number of each person in the world. This pastor at no time was going to be living past yesterday; the time of his life had come. Even if he had known martial arts, he would still died. When God has your number, nothing will save you from death. You may not die in such a violent way, but you may pass on by other means. 

So to sit there and say that pastor's don't listen to you, is quite frankly asinine. No where does God tell you that you have authority to say what would save a person's life. If the pastor had been sitting at home eating a chicken leg and died because he got chocked on a bone, would you be sitting there saying "I have been telling ministers for years, not to eat chicken!" 

You see no matter what way we go, God has our days numbered. In fact Job 14:5-6 says Since man’s days are determined and the number of his months depends on You, and since You have set limits he cannot pass, look away from him and let him rest so that he can enjoy his day like a hired hand.(HCSB) James 4:14 states Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes (ESV).

So while we don't have the assurance of tomorrow, what we can have the assurance of is our salvation and faith in Christ. The only means of justification consistent with grace is the faith that brings nothing to the table, not even faith-motivated good deeds. Justifying faith says: “Lord, all I deserve is your judgment. Even with your help, I cannot do enough good to meet your perfect standard. All that avails for me is the righteousness of Christ. Please, clothe me with it” (see Rom. 4:1–16a). Such faith is the gift of God to His people: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph. 2:8–9)

John Newton, the lyricist of that beautiful hymn "Amazing Grace" said of assurance, In mercy [God] has frequently stirred up my nest, shaken me in it, and forced me to fly to him, when I should otherwise have dropped into sleep and [false] security. (221)

As I posted on Facebook today, "No amount of martial arts, medication, medical attention will save you, when your time has come. For God has numbered our days, and when that time is up, then God will call us home, as long as we have our faith and salvation through Jesus Christ.

One Word

Each year I choose one word that I want to grow in. One year it was prayer, another trust, and yet another year it was patience. And every time I choose a word something happens that I don't expect and I grow in that area of my life. 

2021 is no different. This year I was thinking about a lot of different feelings, experiences and I decided that I want my word to be forgiveness. I want to grow in forgiveness, I want to learn how to extend it, how to give it to others and myself. 

So over the next year, my blog will take a back seat, it will probably be updated at least once a month, but maybe not; as I grow in forgiveness. I also have decided to read the Bible thematically this year and finally, I am going to spend a year in quite contemplation. At least an hour a day when I can set aside everything and just relax. No computers, not secular books, just time for God and I to get to know one another better.