Tag Archives: current-events

The Ruse of Ark-Hating

Last week I became aware of a full-size replica of Noah’s Ark that is about to set sail for Brazil, and later to America. It is gigantic, And just like the original, it’s gigantic, even able to carry 5,000 people.

But, it also cost a boat load of money to build. On top of that, there’s the money Johan Huibers (the builder) and the Ark of Noah Foundation will need to transport it to different locations where it will serve as a religious attraction meant to share the story of Genesis, the Flood, and the Gospel.

Noahs Ark

But, as usual, the hateful, negative comments have filled the comment sections of nearly every website or news outlet covering the story. The atheist trolls, the angry agnostics, and even a few “old earthers” couldn’t keep from mocking the project.

“What a waste of perfectly good money. Tax the churches immediately. Ya’ll are missing a HUGE revenue stream.”

“Millions of people have no homes but we need a full scale replica of Noah’s ark…way to go humanity…”

“They’re building something from the Old Testament so they can teach people about Christianity? The ark is about Noah not Jesus. How about doing good deeds and maybe using all the $$ to help the needy rather than build a useless boat.”

“Wow what a waste of time,money, energy, and talent to replicate a work of fiction…”

Brilliant, aren’t they? Scholars, scientists, philanthropists. humanitarians, and economists…the whole lot of them.

Money

OK, so it’s all a waste of perfectly good money, you say? Really? How does one actually waste money, anyway? By building a huge ark?

So, a guy spends millions of dollars (hypothetically) on a project of mammoth proportions. Where does his money go? It goes to contractors, skilled labor, unskilled labor, artists, designers, and fees to state and local governments. In other words, it went to put food on tables, send children to school, pave roads, keep families together, and help keep local municipalities funded.

Yeah, what a waste.

Seriously, what is the problem with someone spending money? Do you trolls ever protest the latest mansion your favorite Hollywood star is building? I mean, seriously, how many square feet does one person need? Do you call that a waste? Or, do you just envy it and wish you had it?

You see, it’s not about the money.

Myth

A work of “fiction”? Even though nearly every ancient civilization has a “flood story,” you discount Noah’s ark as a work of fiction. Or do you just mean the Bible? Yeah, that’s what you’re really referring to.

I read another comment that blasted building this ark because it perpetuated a “myth.” Like one of the comments above, the writer was livid over how so much money could be spent on a “piece of fiction” rather than feeding the poor.

I wonder if all the Ark haters are also protesting George Lucas and Disney (and all involved) for perpetuating the myth of Star Wars? What about Disney World? What about all the millions of dollars being spent to create a whole park just for the Star Wars universe? A waste, you say?

No, it’s not about the “myth,” either.

Message

The real problem people have with these ark projects (including Ken Ham’s in Kentucky) is the ultimate message: There IS a GOD who judges mankind. All the ark-hating is just a ruse.

It’s not about money, folks, because they don’t complain about video games, weed, or fast food – which is all a waste. It’s not about fiction or myth, because these arrogant snots are more than happy to fork out millions for the latest Harry Potter book or movie ticket.

No, it’s about the prospect of being held accountable unto their Creator, which is so terrifying they must live in denial as they mock and ridicule believers.

 

Oh, and to the know-it-not, would-be biblical scholar in the comment section: The Ark IS about Jesus! Try getting your theology from Scripture instead of the Huffington Post; you might learn something.

 

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Filed under Christianity, Faith

Whatever Happened to a Woman’s Right to Privacy?

The “Right to Privacy.” It’s something the left has argued for decades as one of our most important rights guaranteed by the 14th Amendment. Yet, when it comes to a woman’s right to privacy in a restroom or shower, the staunch defenders of Roe v. Wade are silent.

I find it interesting that Roe v. Wade affirms and guarantees “a right of personal privacy, or a guarantee of certain areas or zones of privacy” (410 U.S. at 152-53), yet the very “zones” where some of the most intimate and private moments of a woman’s life takes place are being allowed to be violated.

What about women’s health? In the abortion debate, “health” is not limited to the physical, but includes all facets of psychology. Therefore, according to the left, abortions cannot be limited only to those births which could pose a risk to a woman’s life, but must also include those which could have the potential of bringing about mental and psychological stress.

Essentially, proponents of Roe v. Wade have argued that abortions should be kept legal because a woman could risk becoming embarrassed with her body should she start gaining unwanted weight. Well, then, what’s wrong with trying to protect a woman from the mental anguish of having her genitals exposed to uninvited male gazes?

It seems to me that women from both the right AND the left should be rising up against what is essentially nothing more than a male-friendly infringement upon a woman’s right to deny access to her most intimate moments.

But then again, it wasn’t really about a woman’s rights as much as it was about money and the loosening of moral restraints, was it? If not, then instead of protesters carrying posters reading, “Stay out of my uterus,” where are the ones shouting, “Stay out of our bathrooms!“?

Ladies, your “privy” is no longer private, and your safe zone is has been compromised. It would seem you have a civil rights issue powdering its nose while your rights are being flushed.

 

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Filed under Abortion, America, Culture Wars, current events

It’s Your Choice

I don’t have enough time, with all the other stuff going on this weekend, to write about everything of which I have an opinion. There’s just too much in the news.

Therefore, I want YOU to decide on what I write about next! You know, it’s sorta like a reverse of Fox News’ “We Report. You Decide.

You decide. I will report.

Now, if you would like a few suggestions, just consider what has been in the news over the last few days and weeks. Maybe one of these topics would interest you.

  1. The Republican and Democrat Presidential debates in America.
  2. Policemen jerking unruly punk kids out of their desks in school.
  3. Policemen getting killed for being policemen.
  4. China ends one-child-only policy, but only ups it to two.
  5. Miley Cyrus and her upcoming naked concert.
  6. A football coach getting fired for praying after games at the 50-yard line.
  7. School shootings and gun-free zones.
  8. NCIS and Gibbs’ new look.
  9. Chinese and American tensions in the South China Sea.
  10. The possibility the Russians are going to cut internet cables in the Atlantic.

Then there are other things that aren’t in the news, but are nevertheless important – at least to some:

  1. Portlandia.
  2. NCIS compared to Castle.
  3. My DVR is full and erasing things I want to see but don’t have time to watch.
  4. Candy corn.
  5. How to keep trick-or-treaters away from your front door.
  6. The American public education system and Asian exchange students.
  7. Sharing the news of a missing pet on social media.
  8. Posting embarrassing photos of your teenage children when they were young.
  9. The horrors of being in the driver’s seat at a drive-thru with 6 other people in your minivan trying to tell you what they want, and all of them being females who can’t keep anything simple.
  10. Camera phones and legalism.
And then there's this.

And then there’s this. Aren’t you curious?

 

What do you want me to write about (excluding ending sentences with a preposition)?

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Filed under blogging, current events

Funny Freaky Fractured Friday Facts

Apologies 

My apologies to all those who have sent me awards. Even though I have appreciated them, I have never found the energy to follow through with all the demands: list this or that; link to all the best blogs with under 15 followers; reveal ten things about your feet; etc.

Therefore, in honor of all those who have bestowed upon this blog some generous and well-meaning widget, I will list some facts about me and this Friday (today) that were heretofore unknown.

Again, my apologies, both for the past and what you are about to read.

Just the Facts

  1. I am wearing shorts, but my knees are cold.
  2. I am wearing a shirt that a friend was going to throw away, but I thought he was an idiot, so I kept it. That could make me a dumpster-diving bum, but, in reality, I stole from what he wanted me to take to charity. Sue me.
  3. My wife gave me 30 minutes of un-interrupted time to write this post.
  4. I ticked off my daughter for informing her that I, the father, the one who puts a roof over her head, has the dadgum right to filter what musical trash she desires to pipe in. Again, sue me.
  5. I hate pimento cheese, but my daughter loves it. I made a sandwich for her, on toasted bread, cut it into four squares, and then sprinkled them with red pepper. She’s not as ticked any more.
  6. I am totally looking forward to preaching through the book of Acts!
  7. I know there is a jar of peanut butter in this house, but I can’t find it! And that makes me angry! There are times when a man just needs a peanut butter sandwich, dang it!
  8. I indoctrinate my children, and I’m proud of it – it’s called loving them.
  9. I am a very nice guy, but I could snap in an instant. I might even be looking for an excuse.
  10. I have a problem with comparing myself with others whom I deem more successful, but I’m working on it.
  11. I still have six minutes to work on this post.
  12. Yesterday was an emotionally difficult day, but what else is Thursday good for? Today is better, thank God!
  13. At this moment I am sitting here thinking about how many more of these points I should make, along with how this must be boring whomever is reading this. I will take it to 15 and quit.
  14. I ate a left-over cheese burger made with 90% lean Angus beef. My wife grilled them the other day, so they needed to be eaten. Essentially, I ate almost/but not quite need-to-be-thrown-away hamburger.
  15. I need new tennis shoes – these have holes in them – but that won’t keep me from walking with the Lord.

Have a great weekend, everybody! War a good warfare, keep the faith, and leave this life having a clear conscience and no regrets (1 Timothy 1:18-19).

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Filed under Christian Living, Christian Maturity, current events, General Observations, Life/Death, Struggles and Trials

Ending Terror Through Job Placement

WARNING! The following post is full of political opinion and satire. 

Pontificating Pundit 

Marie-Harf-Marie Harf, a spokeswoman for the U. S. State Department, knows what it will take to stop ISIS from continuing their head-removing ways. Yes, she is smarter than the rest of us, and she is ready to prove it.

In a recent interview with MSNBC’s Chris Matthews on “Hardball” she said: “We need … to go after the root causes that leads people to join these groups…” And what is one of the root causes?

…lack of opportunity for jobs…

Forget the fact that Osama bin Ladin was wealthy long before his cave-dwelling days. Forget the fact that most ISIS recruits from western nations actually leave jobs in order to fight. Completely forget the fact that no amount of earthly gain can compare to the hope of being martyred, thereby entering a paradise with scores of virgins to satisfy your eternal desires. No, jobs are the answer.

According to Marie Harf, if ISIS fighters only had places where they could earn a decent wage, enough to feed one’s harem and groom one’s goat, then there would be no need for them to wage holy war against civilization.

Jihadi Job Fair

So, just to be helpful, I found a website that listed 10 left-wing companies where liberals are encouraged to shop. These companies are considered beacons of progressiveness, ones that not only support every left-wing agenda, but also give nearly 100% of their political donations to Democrats. In other words, companies who love Marie Harf’s boss.

job fairIf job creation would stop terrorism, then I think the first ones to test the theory should be the progressive companies who support the thinkers in the State Department. The following are the 1o progressive companies listed on Liberals Unite: the 24-Hour News Magazine for Discerning Liberals and what I suggest they could offer the young liberals of ISIS.

  1. Levi Strauss & Co. – “In 2010 they were even awarded a GLAAD award for their positive depiction of the LGBT community in their advertising.” Really? Along with sprucing up ISIL’s style, I’m sure there are a few jihadists who would be GLAAD to take a stab at advertising.
  2. Costco – Billed as the “anti-Walmart” and a company that promotes “equal rights,” I’m sure they could offer plenty of jobs in retail to both men and women. We know how much those ISIS guys love working side-by-side with the opposite sex.
  3. Starbucks – This company, at least according to Liberals Unite, is also a huge supporter of gay marriage and LGBT rights. Think of all the jobs they could create! The last I heard, ISIS and the gay community were meeting regularly on roof tops. Anyone for a cafe grande with a view?
  4. Always – Not that women are allowed to work outside the home in any area ruled by ISIS, but what an opportunity for advancement! “Most recently they launched their ‘Like a Girl’ campaign which directly challenges the stereotype that girls are weak.” I’m sure thousands would leave the battlefield to work here!
  5. Sonic – Gotta love those hot dogs! Take off those combat boots and put on those skates!
  6. Microsoft – Since the “JV team” has proven their ability to capitalize on multimedia and is becoming more proficient with video production, I’m sure a few high-paying, high-tech jobs would stop ISIS from hacking military websites.
  7. Calvin Klein – Underwear. Sexy clothes for men. The applications should come in like a flood.
  8. Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia – Every ISIS fighter loves a strong, female leader. Extremism would come to an end the moment decorating classes began.
  9. Heineken – Just because alcohol is forbidden, that doesn’t mean a good liberal Muslim wouldn’t want to brew a few. And this company is really big-time against global warming, so… I bet those guys in black get pretty hot out there. I bet they’d love to be combating global warming instead of killing infidels.
  10. Trader Joe’s – Never mind that ISIS fighters have blown up everything of cultural significance in their march to Rome, every good jihadist is environmentally conscious. They would be thrilled to wear an apron and sell cage-free eggs. Anything for the environment and a paycheck.

I know this isn’t funny, but sometimes I don’t know what else to do but laugh at the insanity of it all.

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Filed under current events, General Observations, politics

Standing Sure In a Crumbling World

World Events

Let’s get real for a moment, shall we? The world seems to be coming apart at the seams right now. Russia and Ukraine are fighting; Israel and Hamas are fighting; ISIS is trying to take over the world; airplanes are crashing or being blown out of the sky; new diseases are popping up everywhere; and more former Disney child stars are choosing to cry out, “I don’t want to be a role model!” while exposing their bare behinds.

Face it, the world is going to hell in a hand basket and Toto has already jumped.

But seriously, as bad as the world is, it’s not like we have Nero for a president. Oh, but wait! America isn’t the only country in the world, you know, and Christians are being killed as often today as they were in the first and second centuries (along with anyone who refuses to yell “Allah Akbar!” as he beheads his sister).

Life Goes On

But even as we look around at a world in turmoil, does that mean we must forget about living? Sure, the temptation might be to down a bottle of Prozac and curl up in a ball, all the while waiting for the first warhead to hit your town.

However, kingdoms rise and fall and nations come and go, yet children still need moms and dads, strangers still need a kind word, and the way we live is still important.

As a matter of fact, right before another group of people’s world was about to be turned upside down, Jesus Christ gave some timeless instruction on living from a hillside (The full text can be found in Matthew, chapters 5-7). His words still apply today. Below are a few excerpts:

 

“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.”

“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”

“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” 

“Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” 

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

“Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” 

Jesus then concluded his sermon with the following encouragement…

“Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.” – Matthew 7:24-25

Though the world might be falling apart, we don’t have to. 

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Filed under America, Christian Living, current events, the future

“Help me, Sweet Jesus”

As I read the tragic story of three people dying after a hot-air balloon caught fire and crashed in Virginia, my heart broke.

What struck me most was what a witness said she heard coming from flaming basket. When I read these words, tears filled my eyes…

Help Me Jesus

Folks, why does it take things like this to remind us of reality? Life is precious. Life is short. Life is as fleeting as the morning mist. We are ALL going to die, some sooner than later. Why, then, do so many wait till it’s too late to cry out to God?

It makes me sick to think of the terror that these three people must have endured. They knew, as evidenced by their screams, that death was imminent. It’s hard to imagine what they were feeling. But here’s the thing: so many more know they are dying, yet feel no urgency, no need to cry out to Jesus. That’s even more tragic!

If more could sense the imminent horrors of an eternity without God, then more would cry out, even now, “Help me, help me, sweet Jesus, help!

Dear Father, please comfort the grieving families of those lost in this accident.

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Thursday Thoughts (Peppers, Perps, and Protesting Preachers)

Another Thursday has leaped/lept upon us with all the fury and fluff of a rabid Care Bear. What am I to do but share a few thoughts with you?

Peppers.

My little girl loves hot peppers. When she eats pizza, she literally, and I do mean literally, covers it with crushed red peppers. I don’t know how she does it, either.

habaneroWell, today she decided to follow a recipe for grilled chicken that included freshly sliced Habanero chili peppers. I have no idea what it will be like, but when I got home from work she proceeded to describe to me the pain she was experiencing. It would seem that while slicing and dicing the peppers, she got some under a finger nail. Now, she is in pain.

I am not looking forward to the chicken.

Perps

Earlier this week I read of two punks who beat up a 98 year-old woman in a nursing home. The two females involved were working at the home when they decided to film themselves on a cell phone while slapping an old lady. They thought it was funny.

teenage-caregivers-mugshotsSo, what happened to the scumbag-etts? They were fired, thankfully. And, OH!…they lost their cell phones. Jail? Naaah! I guess somebody figured losing the ability to share their animalistic joys via Snapchat was punishment enough.

I think they should be tied up and released to a room full of grannies with hickory switches.

Protesting Preacher

Yes, it’s a sad day for the Phelps family, but the families of fallen soldiers whose funerals have been protested can rest a little easier. Oh, I’m sure the good folks from Westboro Baptist will one day be back out in force with all their colorful, creatively-worded signs detailing why people have died, but for now they must concentrate on picketing at home.

Fred_Phelps_10-29-2002There are many who have decided to rejoice at the death of Fred Phelps, Sr. Others have chosen the high road and have called for all of us to rally around the Phelps family and pray. I am somewhere in the middle.

My desire is that all people come to a saving faith in Jesus Christ, thereby having their sins forgiven, avoiding the terrors of eternal damnation. But on the other hand, I’m glad Mr. Phelps is finally getting to hear firsthand from the God he so hatefully represented.

After all the funerals Westboro Baptist and Phelps protested, I wonder if anyone is guarding his? Sad, I must say.

 

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Filed under Chili, current events, General Observations

Thursday Thoughts

It’s another Thursday – and a cold one! – here in Chattanooga, Tennessee.  It was a whopping 5 degrees Fahrenheit this morning, and that’s cold enough to make Joel Osteen preach on hell to get warm. [Laugh, I know you want to]

The weather leads me to the first of one of my short thoughts for the day…things I want to write about, but don’t want to take the time to go into much detail…

Comparisons between the North and the South. 

I am getting really weary of people making fun of how we Southerners deal with snow. They make fun of us because we make such a big deal out of a “dusting,” while Yankees take their kids to school on bobsleds. Give it a rest, you lutefisk-loving haters of state’s rights!

Believe it or not, I have driven in Rochester, New York while there was 6-inches of snow on the roads. But that is totally different from driving on asphalt covered with a quarter-inch of ice.

 

Screen grab from Dr. Oz's website

Screen grab from Dr. Oz’s website

Dream Analysts (with freaky-colored hair)

This week I saw a segment on Dr. Oz that featured a “Certified Dream Analyst.” Giiiiive meeeee uuuuhhhh breaaaak!

Patient: “I have this dream where I am falling.” Analyst: “That is your body responding to you being out of control in your life.”

Patient: “People chase me in my dream, and I can’t get away.” Analyst: “That’s a classic sign that you are running from something in your past, or something you don’t want to deal with.”

Patient: “I keep having this dream that I am in school.” Analyst: “Your body is trying to teach you something.”

What a joke! After the first person’s dreams were analyzed, I figured out how to do the rest. How much does this pay?

Continuing Education

preaching magazineEven preachers who preach all the time (i.e., me) need to continue learning. It never hurts to seek ways to improve what you do, to hone one’s skills, even if you already do it well. That is why I was happy to see my first copy of Preaching come in the mail. My oldest daughter, Alicia, bought me a subscription for Christmas.

Never See Eye-to-Eye

A recent Facebook conversation reaffirmed an already sad realization: there are some people with whom I will never, no matter how much I try, see things eye-to-eye. For example, a preacher named Jon Dabill and I got into a long, long exchange over the issue of KJV-onlyism.

Fact is, he was wrong…I was right. What more can I say?

Oh, I know! I could say, “This is my opinion based on serious, objective study and a scholarly approach toward the original texts.” On the other hand, Jon would say, “You can’t trust the originals, just the perfect King James version, so phooey on all your study! You gonna trust scholars, or the Bible?”

Personally, I prefer truth. If a word in the KJV could be changed to better convey the original meaning of the passage, even the translators of the KJV thought it should be so (see their letter to the reader in the introduction to the KJV). Jon said, “I could care less what the translators believed.”

Well, there you have it. Another Thursday, and more stuff to think about. 

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Filed under baptist, blogging, General Observations, legalism, Preaching

Forgetful Fridays (500th post!)

Thursday Thoughts

Last week I decided it would be fun to start a new series of posts entitled “Thursday Thoughts.” Then, just like clockwork, I forgot to write anything when Thursday came back around.

Last Thursday I wrote about several things that had been on my mind, but things I didn’t want to spend a lot of time treating individually. But this time, instead of on Thursday, I will use today (Friday) to vent my mind. The things I forgot to mention on Thursday will now be mentioned on a Friday, hence “Forgetful Fridays.”

Things I Forgot

The following are some things I have been thinking about (about which I have been thinking?). Most are stories that have either been in the news or on the world wide web of lies.

“Concrete Endangerment”

If you live in Germany, I feel sorry for you; evidently you have a government that still harbors a secret love of Hitler’s old ways. You have taken the Wunderlich’s children away from them indefinitely out of fear that they may, of all the horrible things in the world, HOMESCHOOL them! O.M.G.!!! A German judge ruled that homeschooling constitutes “concrete endangerment” of children. Really?

Wunderlich1

The Wunderlich family. Children taken by German government.

However, if you live in America (like I do), a country run by liberals who idolize totalitarian governments where one man controls all, then I feel sorry for you, especially if you educate your children at home (like we do). How long do you think it will be before our Justice Department will attempt to mirror German judges? Has not our own Attorney General Holder determined that the Romeikes should return to Germany, even though the government will take away their children when they return?

Click here to read the whole news story from WND.

“Rage Spiral”

Have you ever gotten into a “rage spiral?” I have had days when one thing built upon another until I “lost it” and burst out with anger. I don’t know what it would take to send me down a spiraling vortex of rage. However, I do know what it takes to send the producer of HBO’s “Girls” into a “rage spiral.”

lena of girls

Lena Dunham

I don’t watch HBO, so I have never seen the comedy of which I speak. All I know is what I can gather from the news, and most of that tells me “Girls” is a debauched, nudity-filled bunch of garbage. But when a reporter questioned why the creator and director of the program, Lena Dunham, had to get naked so often that the producer, Jenni Konner, said she went into a “rage spiral.”

Stop and think about it! A woman goes ballistic, she gets all indignant, all because a reporter questioned why there was so much nudity in her television program! Now, to be fair the “hit piece” was intentionally cruel with regards to Lena Dunham’s body, and was rightfully labeled “inappropriate” by Konner. But what is more inappropriate, criticizing a naked woman’s body, or parading it around for profit? Good grief!

  1. Click here to read the Fox News story.
  2. The Hollywood Reporter

“Satanic Statue”

Talk about spiraling descents into total insanity and rage, where has the nation of our Founding Fathers gone? Not only do we have people who object to a Ten Commandments monument on the grounds of the Oklahoma state capital, but now the Satanists want their own monument right beside it – and we’re supposed to approve!

There used to be a day when something like this would not only be laughed out of the public forum, but those suggesting such a thing would be run out on a rail. This is not what our founders envisioned when they wrote our Constitution. This is not what they were thinking when they spoke of “freedom of religion.” And it was definitely NOT Satan who was being spoken of as the “Creator” who endows us with “certain unalienable rights.”

So here’s my thought on this: will the creators of the Satanic monument be upset or proud if/when their goat statue gets vandalized? I mean, wouldn’t that show that their followers were only acting out their individual, self-god beliefs? Unbelievable! except in a world that’s already on its way to hell in a hand-basket. I wonder if there’ll be monuments there?

    1. LA Times
    2. Huffington Post
    3. Washington Post

A Quote from Billy

Billy_Graham_008“If God doesn’t soon bring judgment upon America, He’ll have to go back and apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah!” – Billy/Ruth Graham

I totally agree.

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Filed under America, current events, Uncategorized