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Homily and/or Church’s Newsletter, February 26-27, 2011
Both sources had that a person cannot serve two masters. We must make a choice between God and possessions, such as money and nuclear weaponry. Matthew: 6:24, “No man can serve two masters!” Will God guide and bless our lives or will possessions receive our trust and devotion? A person needs money to pay the monthly bills but is money the center of a person’s life? Choosing God and trusting in that choice is not a once-in-a lifetime decision. It is a daily process of evaluating and ordering one’s priorities.
At the homily the priest said something that I have said for thirty plus years. I do not make it a point to stress in my conversations but I have mentioned it on several occasions. Saying, “Mother-Father God,” is permitted. God is God! We need to trust in a Mother-Father God. The word, “Father,” for God has been used for centuries because Jesus lived in the Middle East men have been the dominant figure for centuries. Today, women must be treated as an equal to men.
The Homily
A few years have past since we were in California, we participated in the Liturgy of the Eucharist at a Catholic Church. The priest mentioned that the people who are close to God are the ones who can forgive. To forgive we need to be a loving people.
After Mass I thought about George Vine who lost his family to the Nazis in a concentration camp. He said that he does not hate because we are here to love. George Vine is an amazing person. We are here to love and to fulfill God’s vision of the world. In God’s vision of the world Shalom is important. God has given us on this planet all we need to fulfill His vision of the world. Shalom includes everyone to enjoy a happy and a love filled life. No one is excluded.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer in his book, “Cost of Discipleship,” says that we are all born to be saints. As we grow older, we distance ourselves from God. When we distance ourselves from God, we lose heaven if we die. We need to always try to be with God or near God. God will fulfill our lives.
Remember and believe in the words of Jesus, “Love one another as I have loved you.” Replace hate with love in our lives! In order for America to return to greatness she must return to God and renew her life with love for all of God’s children.
Homily on Greed
On August 1, 2010 I heard a Homily on greed. Father Ray does a good job with his homilies. We have evil people in office and out of office. These people want more and more money. They have little use for average Americans who struggle daily to survive. When these evil people die, they will go before God in judgment without their money and possessions. They will go in judgment empty. If God was not the center of their lives, they will not be God in heaven. They will enter eternity without their money and possessions like the rest of us. If God is the center of our lives, we must do what we can to help His children who are our brothers and sisters.
Our federal government and politicians are evil. They have programmed Americans to be greedy and selfish. Mortal sin consumes their daily lives and damning their souls for eternity. America and Americans are damned for being Satan’s disciples.
Here are some side notes. Avoid greed in all its forms! If you hear His voice, harden not your hearts. An optimist thinks this is the best possible world. The pessimist fears this is true.
I must be a pessimist but I prefer the word, realist. I am a realist and I hold many of the policies and practices of the United States of Mortal Sin with contempt.
February 26, 2011
There are two truisms. One, the people who have the gold will make the rules. Two, people will get what they deserve. When stupid people vote for idiot sycophants with the gold, they will have to deal with people who are geniuses in a certain area, such as the ability to screw stupid Americans. These stupid Americans will also be relegated to the levels of babbling idiots, imbeciles, and morons while the idiot sycophants are laughing to the bank with our money so the rich can become richer.
http://www.opednews.com/articles/Ronald-Reagan-Setting-the-by-Bob-Burnett-110225-375.html
Ronald Reagan
On a side note
My wife has sewed me a poncho. I have wanted one for some time. As I grow older, I find that handling the extremes in weather temperatures is more difficult for me. The poncho warms me in the cold temperatures.
So it is a corrupt practice or conflict of interest when public employee dollars - that come from taxpayers - are paid in union dues - which are then used to elect or lobby legislators who make decisions favorable to the pocketbooks of public employees.
But when I buy a product, my dollars go to a corporation, who then, without my consent, use some of my dollars to elect and lobby legislators to lower their taxes (and thus increase my tax burden), and to provide public infrastructure to benefit their business, THAT is not a corrupt practice?
Follow the money. Wall Street engaged in predatory lending on our states pention funds. They sold them ETF's with bogus AAA ratings. When the housing bubble burst (because it wasn't real) those pention funds were hit hard. Why aren't there bankers/brokers in prison and why aren't these banks being fined in-order to replenish the funds they depleted?
I don't think that Carrie Lukas has ever answered one of Thom's questions straight up.
Hey Tom, you gave me whiplash. You said you're not a communist, and you don't want government (those incompetents) building your cars. But it's okay for gov't (AKA we the people) to build roads, bridges, dams. That is way schizo. Earlier you correctly (IMHO) said there is no such thing as the "free market", and that you feel that "regulated capitalism" can work. Did it ever occur to you that there was never any such thing as "communism", and that crappy cars were really the byproduct of totalitarianism? Peace, Gar
Bill Clinton is the Poster Child for Bankrupt Liberalism.
It is incumbent upon us to walk away from these established institutions, even if we are alone. We have to Give Our Country Another Narrative. Reclaim the populism that was decimated.
It is our task to remember that all of the great correctives in our history never achieved political power, ever. Not The Liberty Party, The suffragettes, The Labor Movement, The Civil Rights Movement.
We have to regain that form of resistance. And it’s hard and it’s lonely. But, Simple Pride should keep us from being used by the Democratic Party again. There has to be a breaking point. There has to be a moral line that can’t be crossed.
We have to remove our trust in rotten institutions that speak a language which no longer reflects the ultimate concern of those institutions, and trust finally, in ourselves. Maybe by the end of our lives things will be worse. Probably, they will be worse. But that does not invalidate what we have done.
We trust in the good. We believe the good attracts the good. We cannot know where the good goes. But faith, is finally believing that it goes somewhere
- Chris Hedges
Where's the job growth
You are correct about this. Where is the questioning from the Major news outlets about this? All I hear is this charlie sheen and the like nonsense nonstop! And our country in the mean time is going to pot!
Yes WHERE ARE THE JOBS??? The main objective of the ultra-right is to eliminate them - and hope that 1-2 million will be lost between now and 2012. That is the objective of the repugs. Amazing!
And all the major news outlets need a major re-vamping - all are corporate owned and corporate slanted. I still watch MSNBC, but that also may eventually disappear with the COMCAST merger - just a matter of time!
Listening to Carrie Lucas spew the same conservative talking point (talk about group think), the public workers in Wisconsin are only asking for the same benifits that the people the unions are negotiating with gave themselves. I want to see if Scott Walker has the cojones to take away the same rights and benifits to police, firemen and other politicians in Wisconsin.
Wow, did you see how fast Carrie swivled from saying that wealthy people and corporations shouldn't pay more taxes to how the poor and middle class needed to pay more for SS? She could get whiplash!
Brilliant! Now if we can only have 150-200 Million Americans Read this!!
"But if we allow the Democrats to put in judges who will enact the left's social agenda, that becomes permanent. And I'm simply not willing to take the chance."
Really! So a Dictatorship - One Party Rule - Oligarchy - Plutocracy - Fascist nation is the answer!
The "Left's Social Agenda" happens to be the best policy for the greatest number. That is THE POINT of a Democratic Constitutional government. You do not create laws that favor the minorities but laws that protect them. When the minorities become the power brokers and dictate their beliefs and agendas to the Majorities that is what you call dictatorships.
That is also why we have a separation of State and Church in this country. To keep the minority religions from each others throats! I assume that you have a religion. I also assume that you think it is the TRUE religion. I also assume that ALL other religions are the WRONG religions. And I also assume that if you had the power to do so you would eliminate and destroy all those other religions. That is a fact. And also a fact is that you would try to make that the official religion. With drastic consequences!
As long as we have a Constitution in this country, WE, the people, will live in harmony. Eliminate it and we will quickly be at each others throat in a heartbeat. A fact of history and a fact of life we should all be mindfully aware of.
Where's the job growth plan,Republicans? Where's the job growth plans?
Our liberal stations need to keep repeating the question over & over again...thought you said the rich that got the tax breaks created jobs,Republicans? Where's the job growth plan from the rich that got the Tax breaks? We demand to see a job growth plan. What's with the Union Employees issue? This issue isn't creating jobs. What's the deal? Did you all LIE? Where's the job growth plan? REPEAT OVER AND OVER AGAIN....Malloy,Hartmann,Schultz,Ratigan,O'Donnell,Matthews,Maddow and all the others in the media that support the FACTS and the working class of America,start asking these questions,please. You are letting Republicans off the hook by not asking them this question...start askin'. Helen in Virginia,Minnesota
First they came for... updated.
I was out on MoveOn.org site yesterday where they posted 50 awesome photos from the solidarity rallies across the country on Saturday. In the Comments section, a reader contributed this poignant updated version of Pastor Martin Niemoller's statement about the inactivity of German intellectuals following the Nazi rise to power and the purging of their chosen targets, group after group. This is brilliant regarding the current situation in our country. Here you go...
Perhaps the new version goes something like this:
"First they came for the car unions, and I didn't speak out because I didn't work in Detroit.
Then they came for the air traffic controllers, and I didn't speak out because I thought, yeah they are too entitled.
Then they came for the welfare mothers, and I didn't speak out because I thought, yeah they are lazy, aren't they?
Then they came for the all the industrial workers, and I didn't speak out because I thought, well, NAFTA could be good for me.
Then they came for the free press, and I didn't speak out because I believed it was fair and balanced.
Then they came for everyone's savings and retirement money, and I didn't speak out because I thought bubbles happen and deregulation will make me money.
Then they came for people with houses and predatory loans, and I didn't speak out because they said greedy low-income people brought down the system.
Then they came for the right to an education, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a student or a teacher.
Then they came for those who organized to fight the rich, and I didn't speak out because I believe them when they said it was about the budget.
Then they came for the mentally ill, and I didn't speak out because I didn't have a problem and didn't know anyone who did.
Then they came for the old and disabled, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't either and I believed them when they said social security couldn't be fixed and we must all settle for less.
Then they came for the sick, unable to afford treatment, and I didn't speak out because I was healthy and had a job with what I thought was good health insurance.
Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak out for me."
Posted February 26, 2011 by HollyandJohn with a contribution by lillymouse at MoveOn.org. Go to http://bit.ly/f5fxFf
Dictatorship - One Party Rule - Oligarchy - Plutocracy - Fascism.
This is the new “World View” of the ultra-Right. This has nothing to do with American Democracy or American freedoms. But has everything to do with DESTROYING American Democracy, the American Middle Class, and creating an Oligarchic, Plutocratic and Fascist nation!
The new fascist right agenda is to destroy Democracy. They plan to destroy the American middle class and Democracy as we know it and create a one party Plutocratic rule. There are actually right wing ideologues that are actually planning this and they have brainwashed millions of Americans into believing that that is the right agenda to pursue (and making MILLIONS$$$ in the process!).
The repugs have NO PLAN to create jobs in the coming two years. The plan is to NOT create any jobs whatsoever! In fact, their belief is that if 1-2 million jobs are lost in the coming 2 years, the American people will in retaliation vote in the repugs in a “Landslide” come 2012! They actually believe this and are pursuing this policy with gusto. They simply do not care what the consequences will be as they just single-mindedly focused on the objective – single fascist party rule! And the heck with the American people!
The objective(s) of gov walker in Wisconsin is a blueprint as to what the objective(s) of the new fascist repug agenda is for America. It would be wise to study and deconstruct this agenda: a complete destruction and dismantling of the Liberal and Democratic ideals of this country. This is a dangerous Agenda.
14 brave Democrats in Wisconsin stand between autocratic and dictatorship rule and retention of American Constitutional government. If walker and the repugs were to succeed, this would then occur in all states that have repug majorities.
But the people of Wisconsin should ask themselves this question: how is it we voted this liar into such a position of power? walker and his cohorts had a plan and certainly did not outline it in detail to the people of Wisconsin. In fact, he used Machiavellian tactics to get elected. Splitting of the Unions for example (How the Police, Fireman and other Unions believed this would be a study in gullibility!).
All people in all these repug governed states would be wise to question ALL actions and legislation being proposed and passed by these repug legislators. Union workers in particular and liberal Americans in general are being BLAMED for the economic problems ALL Americans all find themselves in. The very people who created this mess are now trying to blame the very people whom it tried to destroy! And making it worst in hopes that in 2012 these unemployed new poor will elect repugs in landslide elections!
To Democrats, he is Governor Wanker.
To Republicans he is "Motor Mouth"
Scott walker has said, "There is a misconception that good wages, pensions and benefits are because of unions. They are not. When unions are removed there is no effect on wages or benefits."
Either he's crazy - which is a charitable asessment - or he's a liar who is not bound by any compuntions of conscience about lying and will say just anything to get what he wants.
Most Union/Corporate interactions are on the *friendly adversaries* level.
Managers that have worked successfuly with unions understand solving problems mutually is much easier than *harshly adversarial*.
Unfortunately there is a large group of Corporate Republicans that solely want to destroy the Unions and, of course, Democrats.
Obama's Shoes Will be delivered on Tuesday (I hope).
Having grown up in Wisconsin during the 70's and 80's and being the son of a Wisconsin teacher, whom today still collects her pension at age 73, I have a few observations about the Walker/Wisconsin situation.
For the record: I support the Wisconsin union of public workers and I recognize this as a political stunt. Still ...
My belief is that up to one-third of all of Wisconsin's state union employees voted for Governor Walker. The reason for this speculation is that I saw first-hand in my own household that my parents voted Republican across the board. AND, in Appleton, WI, the people who were in their teaching circle 'seemed' to support the causes of the Republican Party. Even today, the friends that I have back in WI who have gone into teaching at public schools largely support the Republican Party, as far as I can tell. Same for DMV, Corrections, and other state employees.
I certainly do not believe that the union workers are getting what they deserve, based on the above speculation. But it needs to be pointed out and/or refuted with data that I am not providing (and may not be available). During the Gubernatorial election last November, one could see this type of a situation coming from 100 miles away, yet people allow themselves to be distracted by the false foundation that the republican party offers. Shame on them. And, no, Walker never revealed this intention by any means, contrary to what he keeps stating -- that he ran on this so no one should be surprised.
This is going to be very difficult for the union to wriggle out of ... I wish all of you union members all the best.
I understand that this is hindsight, but, moving forward state-to-state and nationally, this republican slight-of-hand reality (again) needs to be heeded as we are watching the middle class disappear. Good teachers are hard to come by, during the next 10-20 years this will become worse if we don't support our public schools and its teachers.
Dig in!!
Republican Thought Virus Spreading to Democrats. It's not just the Republicans promoting this idea of government unions are the problem. In an interview with the Seattle Times last week State Senator Rodney Tom uttered this Republican talking point. "State Sen. Rodney Tom, D-Bellevue, who is also on Ways and Means, agrees. "We can't have a world where public employees are the haves and the taxpayers are the have-nots," Tom said." Seattle Times on Saturday 02/26/2011
In response I wrote this e-mail to Senator Tom, who I thought represented me.
Dear Senator Tom:
I read your comments in the Seattle Times on Saturday 02/26/2011 "State Sen. Rodney Tom, D-Bellevue, who is also on Ways and Means, agrees. "We can't have a world where public employees are the haves and the taxpayers are the have-nots," Tom said." and found you comment more in line with anti-worker, pro-business, oligarch Republicans than pro-worker, middle class supporting Democrats. These are the exact words of anti-union Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker.
I certainly hope you retract this sentiment as it is not what I would expect of a Democrat. Why didn't you say, something more in line with the core democratic principle that corporations have destroyed unions in the private sector and it is unfortunate that what private unions formerly took for granted has been destroyed over the last 30 years since Ronald Regan fired all the air traffic control union employees. Why didn't you say we have a race to the bottom where wages for working people have fallen, while corporate profits are at their highest levels, and corporate taxes are at their lowest levels. We have a revenue problem and have given tax breaks to corporations and wealthy individuals.
If you continue with this attitude, you certainly won't get my support and I doubt you will get any support from the unions you apparently think are the problem.
Why is it that "right to work States" are also Federal Welfare States, have the highest number of adults without HS Diploma's, and in general the worst educational systems? I guess if you keep the American workers stupefied they won't realize they are becoming modern-day "Bob Cratchits'!!! I wasn't surprised to see on "Face the Nation" Bob Seaffert ask a question of the N.J. Gov. if he felt the budget problem was a fight between the Republicans against the Democrat's and Unions. Maybe Bob can explain why Republicans are financially helped in elections by Corporations who are fighting the Democrat's and Unions? I forgot he's a Corporate stooge and not a REPORTER.
'Throw the bums out' is not directed in any way toward the Wisconsin 14 who have already demonstrated their loyalty to the American people. I’m referring to the political analysis and advisors that weigh in on the options of the Whitehouse. However it would be nice to see the president maybe hold a little pickup game at local school gym just to let some steam off, so happens it is in Madison, who's to say otherwise. :) It would be kind of nice.
By lowering the standard of living of the average American worker nationwide, and at the same time keeping the cost of goods at the same level, it is simply another tactic by the corporate elite to appease the Global Investment firms and Foreign Bankers.
By utilizing this strategy they are able to maintain a profit margin that manipulates the Wall St market into the false image that is perceived around the Globe that the American companies are extremely well worth investing in, and are able to now compete with the 3rd world countries that already terribly oppress their own people illegally, all at the expense of own middle class. { No doubt we are in a race to the bottom} and It all starts with allowing member countries into the WTO that operate illegally to benefit not only their own country but the large business Exec’s that negotiated the foreign trade deal at the expense of our own working class people. Utilizing a strategic plan to eliminate the middle class by lowering our standard of living at the same time increasing costs with no regulation or oversight not to mention the gross lack of transparency, this has to be the ultimate in treason. Ask me again why this country is not better off than it was before the financial sector replaced the manufacturing base we once operated. The voice of the people as well as our own basic rights is in jeopardy. I understand now why the powers to be requiring such a large military – Peace may only be accomplished when there is that possible threat of war.
Maybe if the governor called out the National Guard in Wisconsin like he wanted to in the first place, and it got violent, do you think we could possibly get the United Nations to impose sanctions on Mr. Walker and possibly force our own President to give up a basketball game to get involved. Interesting! Governor Walker’s advisers were no doubt in touch with the White house.
‘Throw the bums out’ both parties!
Educated observer.
Are Union Management and Corporate Management forever going to be in a feud like the infamous Hatfield’s and McCoy’s? The abuses of corporate power over labor and society are legendary and, maybe less well known, are the insulting abuses of power by labor to corporate ownership. Many duels to the death have been lost over much less insulting behavior, however foolish it may seem. Is the successful GOP tactical assault on the election process in Wisconsin to gain one party control of the laws we have bound ourselves the end of our Republic? The Republican Party won the votes in Wisconsin with a blitzkrieg of lies, half-truths and misinformation. I am asking the brilliant minds of our day to believe in and to create a constitutional agreement of existence between labor and corporate ownership and a process for them to work together for the mutual benefit of all America.