Monday, May 29, 2017

What does Memorial Day mean anymore?

It is a little bit sad how few patriots we really have left in this country. It's even more sad how few people feel that being a patriot is a good thing. You fly an American flag on your front lawn, or put an American flag sticker on your car and many people scorn. To some, it's only one step above the confederate flag. I was told recently that flying an American flag was akin to telling the world you were a Republican (and by default a bigot and racist). She explained in great detail the historical symbolism of the flag and gave every reason why she could never be proud of it. While I have no doubt that more Republicans probably fly flags than Democrats, leave it to an angry 2017 millennial to make the American flag a partisan issue.

My father was Vietnam war vet who fortunately made it home without physical injury. Vietnam was in many ways the beginning of the end as it pertained to military patriotism. With the exception of Desert Shield (liberating Kuwait) we have not had a war since (and including Vietnam) that hasn't torn this country apart. One might think that we could give some deference to the troops and at least pretend to support them (after all it's their lives on the line), but unfortunately the politics will way too often get in the way.

In 2017 we no longer come together as a country. Most every American norm and expectation of unity has been left behind, as partisanship, distrust, and identity politics continue to drive wedges and create silos. There is more than enough blame to go around. This is not the fault of Republicans or Democrats. The fault lies with the fact that we seem more eager to fight among ourselves than fight the bigger fight against our known enemies.

61 comments:

Loretta said...

Well said.

opie said...

Another fake news headline for donnie and CH losers


WASHINGTON ― Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), the chairman of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee, has asked federal immigration and investment regulators to review the conduct of a Chinese company partnered with the family business of White House adviser Jared Kushner.

“Recent press reports indicate that Qiaowai has touted its relationship with the current administration as a guarantee that potential EB-5 [investor visa] investors will receive lawful permanent residence in return for a no-risk investment in One Journal Square,” a New Jersey luxury development being built by the Kushner family, Grassley wrote in a May 24 letter to Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly and Security and Exchange Commission Chairman Jay Clayton.

He cited investigations by Reuters and The New York Times that revealed multiple instances of the firm guaranteeing a U.S. green card to Chinese investors in return for investment in the Kushner project. “They said the president would make sure it came through,” a technology executive told the Times. “They said there was no chance it could fail.”

KD, CHT you are a Class Act said...

The Feckless Five already spamming this Thread.


What it means to me and my family is a deep respect for those who gave all and for those that came back broken or whole and defended the one of a Kind Republic in which we enjoy.

james said...

What We Owe the Dead on Memorial Day

Graham Allison: “What do Americans owe fellow citizens who gave their lives in war? Memorial Day exists to prompt each of us to pause and reflect on that question. My answer this year is that we should honor their sacrifice by applying lessons of wars past in order to avoid unnecessary wars that could send future generations to premature graves.”

C.H. Truth said...

James...

When I was younger, there was a term used to describe a certain type of person. It was "Sunday Catholics". In my town, the only private high school was a catholic school. Many parents paid the extra to send their kids to this school, to avoid the public schools. Only problem was that it well known among the high school community that if you wanted drugs, alcohol, or a good party with drugs and alcohol... you needed to find the students from this school.

The bottom line was that for 6 days and 22 hours or so... these kids behaved as poorly as anyone out there. But for a couple of hours on Sunday they went to church and pretended that made them religious.


So James... you want to act like Memorial day is a big thing for you? Then you need to say the same things, have the same attitude, and bring the same respect to our military the other 364 days. Quite frankly... until you do that, you have no right to pretend you give a bigger hoot about our Military and are somehow moved by Memorial day.

I would offer that for most Americans, it's just an extra day off. Of course, since it would appear that you are not employed at the moment, then it isn't even that, is it?

Loretta said...

"The Feckless Five already spamming this Thread."

Not surprised.

james said...

Heavenly Father, we gratefully remember all those who gave their lives in military service for our country. May we firmly resolve that they did not die in vain, but that our nation will always have new births of freedom, so that government of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish from the earth.
--from my pastoral prayer yesterday in the church where I am now serving

KD, Attacking Trump's wife at every turn said...

CHT, what we know about the Feckless FIVE of CHT, is they will "act" a role on one day and after the political value is used up, will revert to being their true nature.


Jane, please explain what you pastor means by the USA will have new "births of freedom"?

Loretta said...

Well said again, CH.

james said...

For once I will not ignore KD:

No one in my congregation asked me that, but what I meant in my prayer yesterday by "new births of freedom" would include, previously, freedom to pursue life, liberty, and happiness, freedom of religion, freedom from slavery, freedom from discriminatory racial segregation, freedom from gender discrimination...

One of the most recent new births of freedom has come in the area of gay rights.

Loretta said...

Spam by the pedo

james said...

As a matter of fact, yesterday I preached on homosexuality, and got many approving comments from the congregation.

Loretta said...

Only a fool would believe anything a gay pedophile says.

Honest, decent, truthful Rev. said...

L: The Apostle Paul wrote, "there is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, neither male nor female" in Christ. And yet there was a time when certain New Testament passages were used to deny women the right to vote in America, or to be pastors, elders, or deacons in our churches.
P: Also, scriptures from both the Old and New Testaments were used
by some churches to defend the shameful institution of slavery in
America, and later the shame of discrimatory racial segregation.

L: Those issues often tore churches apart. And all too often resistance to these wrongs came, not from inside our churches, but from outside our churches, from women, blacks, and civil libertarians who said, "Enough!"
P: Still, we give thanks that there were always people within our
churches who responded in the right way, emphasizing those scriptures
which represent the unity of mind in Christ that centers on loving
servanthood toward everyone. May God help us this morning, as we
consider another issue that tears churches apart in our own time. May our heavenly Father help us strive to find the greater unity of mind, the greater unity of love, which, as Paul said, is given us in Christ.

*Opening Prayer & The Lord’s Prayer
Gracious Father, guide us in considering what is best even when we are confronted by difficult issues. Help us find unity of mind in Jesus even when we may not entirely agree on an issue. Cause us to grow even when challenged by the difficult issues of our time so that your will may be done and your Kingdom be advanced. This we pray in the name of him who taught us to pray, “Our Father…”


Loretta said...

Spam by the pedo

Indy Voter said...

And yet your party elevated Dennis Hastert to Speaker of the House for four consecutive terms.

Honest, decent, truthful Rev. said...

SERMON
Although the Apostle Paul said, In Christ there is “neither slave nor free,” there was a time when churches in our land quoted various scriptures from both the Old and New Testaments to defend or condemn the institution of slavery. It was an issue that sharply divided the churches of our land, and Christians quoted scriptures on both sides of it.

Paul also said in Christ, there is “neither male nor female…” but there was also a time in our land when churches used various Old and New Testa-ment scriptures to defend or condemn the idea of that women should be kept subordinate to men, denied the right to vote in our elections or become pas-tors, elders, or deacons in our churches. And that, too, was an issue that sharply divided churches, and Christians quoted scriptures on both sidesof it.

Those were issues that once divided churches – and Christians on both sides could always find scriptures to justify the positions they took.

And what about today? Do we still have issues that sharply divide our churches? We most certainly do. Difficult issues. Issues that are both political and religious.

Global warming. Is it real, or is it not? Should we be concerned about it, or not? A lot of Christians are divided on that.

Immigration. How are we to treat the immigrants, legal or illegal, who are living in our land? That’s another issue that divides churches.

Abortion is another such issue.

And another issue that divides churches – and this is one that really tears people apart in our day and time – is homosexuality. What should the proper Christian attitude be toward homosexuals? What should our proper stance be toward gays, especially those who claim to be Christians?

Now I am well aware that in the Hebrew scriptures, the Old Testament, homosexuality is called an abomination. But eating pork is also called an abomination. Oysters, shrimp, and catfish are also called abominable foods. Touching a dead body of any kind, human or animal is called abominable, even touching the dead body of a loved one!

We no longer regard eating pork or touching a corpse as abominations. Should we continue to regard homosexuality as an abomination?

Honest, decent, truthful Rev. said...

----Now, I am also aware that there are scriptures in the New Testament that strongly criticize homosexuality. But some of those scriptures seem to be critical of all kinds of sexual perversions, both heterosexual as well as homosexual. And some of them seem to be primarily aimed at a perversion that everyone should condemn: Pedophilia or child abuse.

Now, this morning, I want to talk about two things: First, I want to talk about my own experiences with homosexuality as a pastor, and second, what happened in my home church in Wilson, North Carolina.

Many, many years ago when I was in high school about the only thing I knew about homosexuals is that you made fun of them and if they were guys you called them queers and made jokes about them. I was never aware of anyone in my high school who was homosexual. But when I went to college, I discovered that some of the people I most deeply admired, professors and students, were either male or female homosexuals, including many of the famous people we studied about – artists, writers, poets, actors.

When I was pastoring my second church in a small village in North Carolina, one cold winter night in 1965 a knock came at the door. It was a college student who said he wanted to talk. He was not a member of my church, but a Methodist and he was very sad that night because his gay partner (and that was the first time I ever heard the word gay used to describe homosexuals) had left to live in another state. I talked with him then, and later, and eventually I tried to help him change from being gay to being straight, because I thought that was what I was supposed to do – an older pastor had told me that. It didn’t work, and today there are conservative pastors who were once committed to converting gays who tell us that they now realize that can be the wrong thing to do and can cause more harm than good. Today I wouldn’t do that. Today I would put all the emphasis on encouraging a young man like him to draw just as close to Jesus as he could, regardless of his sexuality.

About twenty-five years later when I served a large church in California, a young member of the church came to me and told me he was dying of AIDs. He said that when he told the previous pastor that, the pastor had said, “I won’t support you,” whatever the pastor meant by that, but I ministered to him, and in talking to him, I learned that he felt he had a deep relationship to Jesus and a strong hope for eternal life. He told me of a beautiful visionary experience he had had. I visited him often in two different hospitals and later at his parents’ home where he went to die. And he did die, and I conducted his funeral, and his dear grandmother, his parents, and his sister who by the way was an evangelical pastor – they all let me know how much they appreciated my ministry to him.

Honest, decent, truthful Rev. said...

Now, a personal note: Never in my entire life did I ever wake up one morning and say to myself, “I’ve got to make an important decision today: I’ve got to decide whether I’m going to like girls, or boys.” I never had to make that decision because it was made for me. Apparentyly I was wired to like girls, even when I didn’t want to admit I did.

When I was in the third grade, I tried to pretend that I didn’t like girls. I thought that was sissy. But there was a little blond, blue eyed girl in the second grade, and I thought she was the loveliest thing I had ever seen, and because I used to be very, very pale – even anemic looking – whenever I passed her classroom, I would pinch my cheeks to try to get some color in them in case she might see me. If anyone had known what I was doing and confronted me, I would have been so embarrassed to admit that I was attracted to that little girl, but I was, and it was not a choice I made, but was made for me.

Apparently there are people who are just as attracted to their own gender and that is not a choice that they make either. At least that’s what they tell us. It seems to be decided for them. It seems they’re wired that way.

Now let me tell you about my home church in North Carolina. An old, old friend of our family, going way back to the Second World War was a woman named Gaynelle who lived in the neighborhood where my father grew up. She was well liked, but many people were aware that she was a Lesbian – and back then, that was just about unheard of. She faithfully attended our Christian church and she was especially kind and compassio-nate to elderly and needy people in the church and in the community, and she did much to help people, a lot of it secretly.

As the years went on and our church began to appoint women as elders and deacons –something new – the nominating committee decided to nomi-nate Garnelle for the office of deacon. At that time my father was chairman of the board and one woman of the congregation came to him and told him that if Gaynelle was made a deacon, she would leave the church. My father thought about that, and decided to let the nomination stand. Garnelle was elected a deacon, and I suppose that woman did leave the church, but whenever anyone ever said anything about this to my father, he simply said that if everyone in our church were as loving and caring as Gaynelle was, we’d have an even better church. Gaynelle served faithfully until her death a few years ago. I guess to some she was always a Lesbian, but to many she seemed more like a saint.

Honest, decent, truthful Rev. said...

----Now, more recently in my home church, they did what a lot of churches have done. They began having two services, an early service, smaller and more informal and contemporary, with guitar playing, and a later service that was more traditional.

After a while it became rather well known that a number of the people who attended the early service were gay or lesbian or transgender or whatever. At one point, a member of my dad’s Sunday school class got upset about this and she wanted to talk about it, not with my dad, but with a retired minister who was a member of our church, a pastor who used to serve in Illinois, but had retired and moved to North Carolina.

So she met with him and told him that she thought all these gay people were ruining our church. I’m not sure exactly what he said to her, but it may be that he shared with her the scripture that is printed in our bulletin.

Some Pharisees said to Jesus’ disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” When Jesus heard this, he said to them, “Those who are well do not need a doctor, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Now, we might have different ideas about whether homosexuality should be regarded as a sin or not a sin, but that woman later told my dad that talking to that retired pastor had caused her to completely change her mind.

Whatever he said to her, he helped her see that Jesus reached out to people who were considered to be the worst of the worst, and the most unacceptable of the unacceptable. Jesus accepted them and ate with them, and loved them, and ultimately he gave his life for them.
Well, I’ll just say this: As far as I can see, this table is Jesus’ table – and he seems to have welcomed everyone, and I think he would want us to do that too, would want us to welcome anyone who comes into this building and desires to participate at this table. Anyone.

He died for all. Good people, bad people, believers, unbelievers, he died for all. So this table should be open to all.

Loretta said...

Spam by the pedo

Loretta said...

Spam by the pedo

Loretta said...

Spam by the pedo

Loretta said...

Spam by the pedo

Honest, decent, truthful Rev. said...

LOL How can my own sermon be spam? I attributed it to myself! LOL

Loretta said...

"And yet your party elevated Dennis Hastert to Speaker of the House for four consecutive terms."

Another pedophile from Illinois.

Loretta said...

No one cares gay pedo.

No sensible person here believes you have a congregation.

Your imaginary compliments are just that - imaginary.

Honest, decent, truthful Rev. said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Loretta said...

Timeline of events, Dennis Hastert.

Naturally Indy posts a disingenuous comparison.

http://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2016/mar/24/timeline-of-events-in-dennis-hasterts-life-and-car/

Honest, decent, truthful Rev. said...

Knee slapping hilarious. Savagetta-Loretta is about to pee in her pants cause she can't figure out where I now am, and yet that information was published in a recent local paper. She's slipping in her dotage.

Honest, decent, truthful Rev. said...

LOL The father of an academy award winning actor once served the church I am now serving.

Loretta said...

Lying pedo.

Loretta said...

I know you're unemployed.

Loretta said...

LOL.

Benton Christian Church did just recently hire an "assistant"....

Commonsense said...

Hate to say I told you so.

But I told you so.

Loretta said...

LOL.

I know.

Did you read his bullshit "sermon"....?

Commonsense said...

As little as possible. His perversion of scripture is rather breathtaking.

Loretta said...

Exactly.

KD, Anti-Military Left never changes said...

Jane , your idea of "New Freedoms" are not new at all, they are the very perversions that real men of faith have been shielding our children from the best we can since the beginning of time, your baby raping faith is sick.

For the people that are in your flock to support your criminality, speaks more about them and you, not about the USA.

Commonsense said...

“angels sent to us by God,”

President of the United States Donald J. Trump.

Loretta said...

"""angels sent to us by God,”

Amen to that.

He received a standing ovation....something that never happened with Olinsky.

Honest, decent, truthful Rev. said...

The "new freedoms" from slavery and segregation and female subordination were new when they came, and the new freedom for gays is new now.

For KD, a Catholic (if he really is) to speak of "baby raping" is amazing. Child molestation can be a problem anywhere, but the track record of the Catholic church in that area is pretty dismal. Pope Francis is doing all he can to recover from that. I just wish the Pope could find a way to reestablish a married priesthood, and allow women priests, and to persuade the RCC to approve effective forms of birth control.

Honest, decent, truthful Rev. said...

Actually, I was a little concerned about preaching that sermon. Some people are just so turned off by anything to do with homosexuality. At one point in the sermon I interjected, “Now I don’t want anybody getting all upset with me about this. I am not insisting that you see everything exactly as I see it, only that you hear me with compassion as I tell you my experiences.”

I was actually surprised by the number of heartfelt thanks I got for the sermon. Devout elderly ladies left warmly thanking me it. Young couples did too. So did teenagers. People felt that it had given then valuable insights.

That morning a fourteen year old girl came forward to make her confession of faith. She will be baptized next Sunday by immersion. She is Lutheran by background and was sprinkled as an infant, but she wants the experience of immersionist baptism. Wonderful!

Her mother and family were particularly pleased that I had preached that sermon on the day she joined.

Loretta said...

Spam by the pedo

Commonsense said...

Another sickening exercise in narcissism.

Isaiah 2:12

For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low.

opie said...

Blogger Loretta Russo said...
Spam by the pedo

May 29, 2017 at 1:16 PM
Blogger Loretta dripping down her leg Russo posted the following stupidity for the 100th time, expecting a different result. Idiot Cue her forgot post
Spam by the pedo

May 29, 2017 at 1:16 PM
Blogger Loretta Russo said...
Spam by the pedo

May 29, 2017 at 1:16 PM
Blogger Loretta Russo said...
Spam by the pedo

Loretta said...

"Another sickening exercise in narcissism."

If it isn't Opie bragging about his cabin, it's an out of work has been substitute Marxist-Leninist preacher and a dried up old drunk telling us what a great inspiration he is (LOL), ALL trying to impress whom.....?

😁

Loretta said...

You forgot LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL

Honest, decent, truthful Rev. said...

5:27 Actually my sermon and my remarks are quite humble. And my people spoke from the heart.

Careful. You may be the one most in danger of spiritual pride and arrogance. I really mean that. Careful.

Loretta said...

Horseshit.

Jesus said...

"...whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks a word against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.”

cowardly king obama said...


Good Luck standing in judgement and explaining to God why he is wrong and why your will is right

Are you such a fucking idiot that you think God prays to you ???


ROFLMFAO !!!

wphamilton said...

"whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks a word against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven,"

That always seemed to me, to rather refute the Protestant view of the Trinity. Two of the three are not identically equal, therefore the Trinity cannot be as literal as the dogma demands.

Jesus said...

“But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.

“If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt.* Give to everyone who begs from you, and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again.

“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.

“Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Do not judge, and you will not be judged.
Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned.
Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
Give and it will be given you…
for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.

“Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, ‘Friend, let me take out the speck in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye."

Honest, decent, truthful Rev. said...


Wp, Trinity belief is held by Catholics too.

Jesus himself, at least as presented in our earliest gospel, Mark, seems to refute Trinity dogma when for example he subordinates himself to the Father several times.
("Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone."
"No one knows the day or the hour of the end, not even the angels in heaven or the Son, only the Father."
And in Gethsemane, "Not my will, but yours be done,"
indicating that at that point he and the Father have somewhat divergent wills.

Even Paul subordinates the Son to the Father at 1 Corinthians 15:28.

Honest, decent, truthful Rev. said...

To say as is said on another thread
"in all sincerity,I have no desire to see you saved,"
does not seem to reflect the teachings of Jesus above.

wphamilton said...

Wp, Trinity belief is held by Catholics too.

They seem to add the Pope in there somewhere as well.

To confuse things further, he said he is "the word" and it is that which is your salvation, but you'll need to reject dogma to rationally make sense of that.

Honest, decent, truthful Rev. said...

Actually, the Word theology is pretty much confined to the Gospel of John, and those are not the thoughts of the historical Jesus, but of the evangelist.

The Gospel of Mark and the Q teachings draw us closer to the actual Jesus of history. They largely constitute things that Jesus actually said. Unlike John, he did not always draw attention to having faith in his own person, but more often to the anticipated Kingdom of God.

Yet the Jesus of Mark and of Q did have a strong sense of his importance. It's just that he expressed it differently. For the most part, more indirectly.

I love the more humble Jesus of Mark.

God loved the world so much that he gave his only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.

That is the Johannine way of expressing it.

I like better the more difficult expression of the Markan Jesus:

If any of you would be great in the Kingdom of God, you must make yourself last of all and servant of all, for the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

That is the real Jesus, I think, speaking under the influence of Isaiah 53.

wphamilton said...

So we believe Mark but not John?

Gospel of John fairly well defines what he means by "the Word" and it doesn't work well for the "sign on the dotted line for a trip to Heaven" doctrine of modern theology.

Honest, decent, truthful Rev. said...

I don't see how anybody with any perception at all can read the synoptic gospels (Mark, Matthew, and Luke) and then read John and not see that there is a vast difference between the way Jesus is represented as talking in the synoptics as compared to John.


wphamilton said...

So you're saying that Apostle John was lying, or do you ascribe to the "Liberal scholarship" school that holds that the Apostle didn't write the Fourth Gospel?

FWIW, John is the only author of the New Testament who was there with Jesus as one of the 12 Disciples, and one of the inner circle of them (Peter, James and John). Let's lay out the raw truth: why are those gospels ignored, downplayed or even opposed? Is it because John requires more of the followers than our modern doctrine promises?