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3.04.2010

Congressman Grayson: "GOP Weapons of Mass Distraction." Quote of the day.

Congressman Grayson: 
"GOP Weapons of Mass Distraction."  Quote of the day.

GRAYSON vs BACHMANN

These GOPredators guys make Hitler's Joseph Goebbles proud!

Our inaction in the face of their rabid disinformation
campaign is the height of cowardice and treason.

THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT BOOK TODAY MAY WELL BE -



The Wrecking Crew: How Conservatives Rule  
Thomas Frank (born 1965) is an American author, journalist and columnist for the
Wall Street Journal
, authoring The Tilting Yard since May, 2008.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE.... READ IT.  NOW.

"A no-holds-barred exegesis on the naked cynicism of conservatism in America."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Written with barbed wit and finely controlled anger, he skewers such juicy targets as libertarian strategist Grover Norquist and Michelle Malkin."—Publishers Weekly, starred review  "Glorious… Often brilliant… Frank's gloom is leavened by an eye for the unexpected and the absurd."—Los Angeles Times 
"Well-researched and witty… Provides a powerful liberal antidote to the high-volume rantings of Bill O'Reilly, Ann Coulter and Fox News."—Seattle Post-Intelligencer

"Frank's gifts as a social observer are on display… His analysis of why there are so many libertarian think tanks in a country with so few libertarians is dead on. In Thomas Frank, the American left has found its own Juvenal."—The New York Times Book Review

"Frank offers one damning anecdote after another. The Wrecking Crew explains how cynical conservatives have wrested control of the government by railing against its very existence, all while using federal perches to funnel billions into the pockets of lobbyists and the corporations they represent."—Time

"Thomas Frank is back with another hunk of dynamite. The Wrecking Crew should monopolize political conversation this year. It's the first book to effectively tie the ruin and corruption of conservative governance to the conservative "movement building" of the 1970s, and, before that, the business crusade against good government going back at least to the 1890s."—Salon.com

"Tom Frank has hold of something real. The Wrecking Crew can be good, spirited fun. Frank captures a quality of exuberant bullying in those of his conservative subjects he knows well enough to identify individually, rather than categorically."—The New Yorker

"Frank's sentences inhale and unfurl with a wit and verve…"—The New York Observer

"Conservatives in office have made their share of blunders and mistakes, and Frank is at his finest in depicting some of the stunning instances of hypocrisy and idiocy in the period of Republican rule."—The New York Post

"Smart, thoroughly researched, and written with wit and panache."—The Wichita Eagle

"A welcome read. There is no doubt that Frank is helping to restore the journalistic and literary standards to political books. Elegant… The Wrecking Crew has the rhetorical power to illustrate the dire consequences of a government sold off piece by piece to the highest bidder. One finishes the book feeling as if one's political vision has been brought into focus."—The Courier-Journal

"A superb follow-up to What's The Matter with Kansas?... Thorough reporting and incisive historical analysis. With genuine outrange and blasts of polemic, but Frank never allows The Wrecking Crew to become just another seething right- or left-wing political tract preaching to the choir."—The Oregonian

"Frank brings invaluable insider perceptions, ardor, and precision to his lancing inquiry into the erosion of democracy and the enshrinement of the mighty dollar… An electrifying, well-researched analysis of 'conservatism-as-profiteering.' This staggering history of systematic greed with inject new energy into public discourse as a historical election looms."—Booklist (starred review)



SL here. Friends EXTREMELY IMPORTANT - PLS ACT NOW

I just sent a letter. Please you too.  Hurry.  SHARE.  SL


From: "Bertha Lewis, ACORN" <newsacorn@acorn.org>
To: start_loving@yahoo.com
Sent: Thu, March 4, 2010 6:15:06 AM
Subject: Re: Sting the stinger - This is just embarrassing

Dear Start,

By now everybody knows that James O'Keefe, the anti-ACORN video stinger, is willing to lie, manipulate, and apparently break the law, in pursuit of his extremist agenda. Monday, sources inside the Brooklyn District Attorney's office, as reported by the New York Post (long hostile to ACORN) said the videos were a "heavily edited splice job".[1] The New York Daily News further reported that sources in the DA's office, which reviewed the unedited New York tapes as part of a five month investigation -- the first time anyone not associated with O'Keefe has seen unedited tapes -- said "they edited the tape to meet their agenda"![2]

As Media Matters columnist Eric Bohlert writes, "the '70s-era, blacksploitation pimp costume was a propaganda tool used to later deceive the public about the undercover operation."[3] If you watched the videos you probably thought he wore that suit inside our offices. He didn't. He dressed as a professional and presented himself as a boyfriend trying to help his girlfriend escape from an abusive pimp, something also noted in former Massachusetts Attorney General Scott Harshbarger's December 2009 investigation of ACORN.[4]

So why, then, does America's newspaper of record, the New York Times, insist in report after report -- as recently as March 1st -- that he presented himself as a pimp in our offices?[5] Can you send an email to the Times' Public Editor and tell him to retract the Times' erroneous reporting about O'Keefe and ACORN?

There are two critical reasons why this matters and my friend Brad Friedman of The Brad Blog lays them out nicely:

"Because O'Keefe is now facing federal felony charges and his past credibility is important to the future proceedings and because these videos, and the Times reports on them, resulted in the U.S. Congress passing legislation to deny ACORN federal funding based on what appears to be an entirely phony premise which … the Times went along with, in error, time and again." [6]

Incredibly, the New York Times' first response when challenged their reporting was to say, "If there is a correction to be made, it seems it would start with Mr. O'Keefe himself. We believe him. Therefore there is nothing for us to correct."[7]

Wow. To say that in the face of everything that's been laid out about how O'Keefe operates - lies, manipulation, even alleged illegal actions - well, that's just embarrassing.

Can you tell Clark Hoyt, The New York Times' Public Editor, that The Times needs to retract its past ACORN stories and report the truth about the anti-ACORN sting operation from now on?

The New York Times played a significant role in the breathtaking rush to judgment instigated by O'Keefe's work. As the blogger Digby said about the Times and other mainstream media, "in rushing to judgment they also failed in their journalistic duty to figure out if this story was true." [8] The Times perpetuated the idea that his videos represented what ACORN workers do all day. They do not. ACORN organizers spend their days talking with working families and helping them take action on issues like foreclosure prevention, raising the minimum wage, fighting for jobs, and working to hold the banksters accountable for their destruction of the economy.

That work, combined with our tireless efforts engaging working families and families of color in the electoral process, are the real reasons why O'Keefe and his corporate-funded backers in the attack media targeted ACORN.

The Times continues to refuse to state the obvious-that O'Keefe deceived the public, specifically by editing in "b-roll" of his absurd costume and more broadly by misrepresenting what ACORN organizers do. This despite the clear admission by O'Keefe co-conspirators Hannah Giles and Andrew Breitbart both being caught on tape saying he never wore the pimp suit in any ACORN office.[9] Despite the findings of the Harshbarger report. Despite Breitbart's admission that the pimp get-up was just a marketing gimmick. [10]

In fact, Clark Hoyt continues to profess, "I still don't see that a correction is in order, because that would require conclusive evidence that The Times was wrong, which I haven't seen." [11]

Can you help Mr. Hoyt see the conclusive evidence by sending him a letter in his role as the Public Editor of the New York Times?

With your help we can set the record straight and put America's newspaper of record on notice that we expect it to live up to its responsibility to us and to our democratic system and report the truth.

Lots of people have asked me why we don't just drop the topic of O'Keefe's video scam and move on. Believe me, no one would like to close the book on this story more than I would.. But the truth is important, and the truth is the lies that O'Keefe peddled and that news outlets that should know better continue to perpetuate, to this day, not only hurt ACORN -- they represent standing threat against anyone who empowers poor people and people of color in this country.

With your help we can help strengthen democracy in America and make sure that working families have a strong voice in 2010 and beyond.



In solidarity and strength,

Bertha Lewis
ACORN CEO and Chief Organizer

[1] Alex Ginsberg and Murray Weiss, New York Post, March 2, 2010,
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/brooklyn/acorn_set_up_by_vidiots_da_x16IroTf4AsXCI19nttFLL

[2] Mike Madden, Salon.com, March 1, 2010,
http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/03/01/acorn_cleared

[3] Eric Bohlert, Media Matters for America, February 17, 2010,
http://mediamatters.org/columns/201002170008

[4] Report of former Massachusetts Attorney General Scott Harshbarger.
http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=12439&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=22649&tx_ttnews[backPid]=12340&cHash=acfa3c666a

[5] Andy Newman, The New York Times, March 1, 2010,
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/02/nyregion/02acorn.html

[6] Brad Friedman, The Brad Blog, February 23, 2010, http://www.bradblog.com/?p=7715
[7] Greg Brock, Senior Editor of Standards for the New York Times as reported by Brad Friedman, The Brad Blog, February 23, 2010, http://www.bradblog.com/?p=7715
[8] Digby, Feb 22, 2010, http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2010_02_01_archive.html
and also here:
http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2010/02/22/acorn_muckraking_open2010/index.html

[9] Max Blumenthal, Conversation at the Conservative Political Action Convention, February, 2010,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vztHmjV5134

[10] Brad Friedman, The Brad Blog, February 21, 2010, http://www.bradblog.com/?p=7710
[11] Clark Hoyt, Public Editor of the New York Times as reported by Brad Friedman, The Brad Blog, February 23, 2010, http://www.bradblog.com/?p=7715

© 2009 ACORN and ACORN logo are Registered Trademarks of the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, Inc.

ACORN is the nation's largest community organization of low- and moderate-income families, with over 500,000 member families organized into neighborhood chapters in 71 cities across the country. Since 1970 ACORN has taken action and won victories on issues of concern to our members. Our priorities include: better housing for first time homebuyers and tenants, living wages for low-wage workers, more investment in our communities from banks and governments, and better public schools. ACORN is an acronym, and each letter should be capitalized. ACORN stands for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now.
 


3.03.2010

"I'm simply your mother, like when a hoard of bullies is attacking you." SL

"I'm simply your mother, like
when a hoard of bullies is attacking you; cuz they are.
You are damn right I'm harsh, rough, aggressive, out-there;
just like she would be if she saw the same attack on you, that I do."  SL

"Do you burn hot enough to start a fire?" Start

"Do you burn hot enough to start a fire?"  Start

"She who would give light, must endure burning." 
Eleanor Roosevelt

SL here. URGENT, FRIENDS.


3.02.2010

SL here. I found my $.50 Crucifix. That beings tears toward my eyes, why?

Please don't ever assume my Love of Jesus is traditional in ANY way.
See here:  http://thechristlikechurch.blogspot.com/

Around Christ-mass time one of the pleasures my suburban zombie
sisters and brothers give themselves is an annual visit to DC to
do something for the poor - their not-my-family.  It does wonders to
refresh their illusions that they are not Dead.  Did you know that
Washington, DC, capitol of the wealthiest country in history,
in the US is:

#1 most powerful population of elites in the world!

#1 in concentration of the top 10 richest counties as suburbs (3) !!!!!!

#1 in child poverty!!!

#1 in mortality from HIV/AID!!!!

#1 in lowest life expectancy in the country!!!!!

See here:

DN! Washington, DC - 3rd World Capital

Well, anyway, at Christ-mass time they come out from their mansions
in their gated communities with their food bags, my zombie siblings,
or whatever, for we poor.  One bag I got had a simple wooden Crucifix,
on the type of faux leather thong you'd use to make something
at summer camp.  My $2.50 Crucifix I wear under my clothes, always,
but this one is larger and can go over my clothes.  But about 3 weeks
ago it went missing.  I looked everywhere.  I was sooooo sad to lose it.

What magic draws me to these Crucifixes, and those on my head?  Love.

Turns out that my beloved sister Connie found it, and I got it today.
Tears of Joy and Relief came toward my eyes.  Why?  A $.50 Cross.
Still moves me toward tears hours later.

Reminds me of the time 5 years or so ago my little Catholic sister and
I were in Texas on a business trip.  Out of Love for her I attended her
Sunday Mass with her, and we were tapped to carry the chalice and Hosts up
to the alter.  I sobbed and quaked uncontrollably.  Brings tears
to my eyes whenever I think of it, like now.

Hmmmmm.   I do so adore our brother Jesus.   I do indeed.  So did Gandhi.
He Loved us so.


"'Daily Bread' IS Soul Food IS Serving the Needy. There's none other." SL

"'Daily Bread' IS Soul Food
IS Serving the Needy. 
There's none other."  SL

"'Zombies' no longer are fanciful creatures for me. They're but a few of us." SL

"'Zombies' no longer are fanciful creatures for me. 
They're but a VERY few of us. Clinically.  Really.
The living Dead.  Who but Dead folks could spend
ANY time on Pleasures when so many are physically
and Spiritually destitute?  Only living-Dead People. Really."
  SL

Teresa of Calcutta:  'The greatest poverty I've seen in
the world is the poverty of spirit in the west.'

Gandhi was asked what he thought about Western
Civilization:  'I think it would be a good idea.'

2.28.2010

"I'm a warrior," Start said to the young Sec. Svc. Officer. "Clearly you are," he replied with entusiastic admiration and approval.

"I'm a warrior," Start said to the young Sec. Svc. Officer. 
"Clearly you are," he replied with enthusiastic admiration,
respect, friendship and approval.

2.27.2010

"I ship out next week. I'm a Marine. THANKS for what you do," at the Vigil tonight.

"Brother, you keep your butt safe, hear," Start replied?!!!!  "The only group
in this country I have any respect for is our men and and women in uniform.
I'm TOTALLY AGAINST killing, but I TOTALLY stand for commitment, putting your life
on the line for what you believe, sacrifice for others... and you guys do that;
and everyone else is on the take.  Thank you for your service.

The greatest complement I'm occasionally paid is, 'Start, were you a Marine?"

I pray with all my heart he stays safe.

"Give me a military man to fight alongside, any day. 
Don't give me any cowards."  Gandhi

"I consider myself a soldier."  Gandhi.  "Me too."  SL

http://www.prop1.org

Re: Fwd: This really touched me

[by way of Angel 1st class, Beverly.  No kidding.]
 
Psalm 55:22 -
you
 really need to read this.
'Friends are God's way of taking care of us.'


This was written by a Metro Denver Hospice Physician:

I was driving home from a meeting this evening about 5, stuck in traffic on Colorado Blvd., and the car started to choke and splutter and die - I barely managed to coast into a gas station, glad only that I would not be blocking traffic and would have a somewhat warm spot to wait for the tow truck. It wouldn't even turn over. Before I could make the call, I saw a woman walking out of the quickie mart building, and it looked like she slipped on some ice and fell into a gas pump, so I got out to see if she was okay

When I got there, it looked more like she had been overcome by sobs than that she had fallen; she was a young woman who looked really haggard with dark circles under her eyes. She dropped something as I helped her up, and I picked it up to give it to her. It was a nickel.

At that moment, everything came into focus for me: the crying woman, the ancient Suburban crammed full of stuff with 3 kids in the back (1 in a car seat), and the gas pump reading $4...95.

I asked her if she was okay and if she needed help, and she just kept saying 'I don't want my kids to see me crying,' so we stood on the other side of the pump from her car. She said she was driving to  California and that things were very hard for her right now. So I asked, 'And you were praying?' That made her back away from me a little, but I assured her I was not a crazy person and said, 'He heard you, and He sent me.'

I took out my card and swiped it through the card reader on the pump so she could fill up her car completely, and while it was fueling, walked to the next door McDonald's and bought 2 big bags of food, some gift certificates for more, and a big cup of coffee. She gave the food to the kids in the
car, who attacked it like wolves, and we stood by the pump eating fries and talking a little.

She told me her name, and that she lived in  Kansas City Her boyfriend left 2 months ago and she had not been able to make ends meet. She knew she wouldn't have money to pay rent Jan. 1, and finally in desperation had finally called her parents, with whom she had not spoken in about 5 years. They lived in  California and said she could come live with them and try to get on her feet there.

So she packed up everything she owned in the car. She told the kids they were going to  California for Christmas, but not that they were going to live there.
I gave her my gloves, a little hug and said a quick prayer with her for safety on the road. As I was walking over to my car, she said, 'So, are you like an angel or something?'

This definitely made me cry. I said, 'Sweetie, at this time of year angels are really busy, so sometimes God uses regular people.'

It was so incredible to be a part of someone else's miracle. And of course, you guessed it, when I got in my car it started right away and got me home with no problem. I'll put it in the shop tomorrow to check, but I suspect the mechanic won't find anything wrong.

Sometimes the angels fly close enough to you that you can hear the flutter of their wings...

Psalms 55:22 'Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee. He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.'


My instructions were to pick four people that I wanted God to bless, especially for the months left in
2009and I picked you.

Please pass this to four people you want to be blessed and a copy back to me.
Here is the prayer:


'Father, I ask You to bless my friends, relatives and email buddies reading this right now. Show them a new revelation of your love and power. Holy Spirit, I ask You to minister to their spirit this very moment. Where there is pain, give them Your peace and mercy. Whe re there is self doubt, release a renewed confidence through Your grace, In Jesus' precious name. And most important, remind them that 1.  there is only one Immeidate Family - YOURS, and 2. that the only reason you have us here is to be your Angels, not for the Lesser of these, but FOR THE LEAST OF THESE. Amen.'


I know I picked more than four -- you can, too.
When Satan is knocking at your door, simply say, 'Jesus, could You please get that for me.'
 




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2.24.2010

Rachel Corrie's family bring civil suit over her death in Gaza

Rachel Corrie's family bring civil suit over her death in Gaza

The Guardian - ‎11 hours ago‎
Peace activist Rachel Corrie died while protesting in front of a bulldozer trying to destroy a Palestinian home in Rafah in March 2003.

URGENT URGENT URGENT URGENT URGENT - DIANOSIS IS 95% OF THE CURE.

DIAGNOSIS IS 95% OF THE CURE - this is common, research based wisdom.

Friends, you are some of the smartest out there - me included.

WE ARE NOT "GETTING IT" FULLY, ABOUT THE TRAITORS WRECKING THE COUNTRY -
INFINITELY MORE DANGEROUS THAN AL QUIDA!!!!!!!!!!!!  THE ENEMY WITHIN.

GOP:

G REEDY
O VERT
P REDATORS  - happily eating you and your young. 

SERIOUSLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  OBJECTIVELY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  CLINICALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

IN THE NAME OF ALL YOU HOLD DEAR - STUDY, STUDY, STUDY, STUDY AND STUDY THE TWO
VID BELOW SET UNTIL IT SINKS IN REALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL DEEP.

DN! The Wrecking Crew (2): Thomas Frank on How Conservatives Rule

PLEASE.  !!!!!!!!!!!!! AND - STUDY, STUDY, PONDER, CONTEMPLATE THIS MUST READ ARTICLE !!!!!!

Paul Krugman: Starving the beast, Republican style
Houston Chronicle - Paul Krugman - ‎Feb 22, 2010‎
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/editorial/outlook/6880141.html


SL

2.22.2010

"THE Deadly Error: Choosing Pleasure; always kills Serving the Needy, Joy, Life, Love, Truth, Peace" SL

"THE Deadly Error: 
Choosing Pleasure;
always kills Serving the Needy,
Joy, Life, Love, Truth, Peace.  Always.
This was my fatal error."
  SL

0MG: This Shero'll go to Hell unless she was a professed Christain!!!! Right?

Dad: Injured NYC worker saved my daughter

Houston Chronicle - ‎9 minutes ago‎
© 2010 AP NEW YORK - A young woman who promotes volunteerism for New York City is credited with pushing her friend out of a car's path before she was critically injured herself.
New York Post - WBZ - New York Times - Ne

"THEY WILL KNOW YOU
BY HOW YOU LOVE." 
CJ. PERIOD.


"Life's Fundamental Choice - Stand on the Spirit of Empire OR Universal Love." SL

"Life's Fundamental Choice -
Stand on the Spirit of Empire OR Universal Love."  SL

Diane Wilson, Ann Wright, K, SC, Hope, Thomas, my dad are pretty much
the only folks I know that don't stand on the spirit of Empire.

By whatever name, the entire and only hope for Humanity is standing
on the Spirit of Universal Love.

Among my most difficult, and MOST IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTIONS
IS HERE:

The Map of Your Two Options -
Joy / Life / Love or
Pleasure / Hate / Death

2.21.2010

"Be how a person should be in the world. Be an example. We're dying for one." SL

"Be how a person should be in the world. 
Be an example.  We're dying for one."
  SL

AMERICA'S UNDER ATTACK. Al Quida was NOTHING. You still in your comfortable chair?

Al Quida was NOTHING.  You still in your comfortable chair? 

WATCH THESE:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdTm_bR7k0k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bX5lyUJdVLE



"The Bible was made for man, not Man for the Bible." SL

"The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath." CJ

"The Church was made for man, not man for the Church."  SL

"The Bible was made for man, not Man for the Bible."  SL

"Activists: Sorry, Fire starts with Fire, not water, lemonade, brick...." SL

"Activists:  Sorry, Fire starts with Fire, not water, lemonade, brick...."  SL

DC is full of activists / NGOs... of all stripes with all sorts of causes.

Alchemists all, promising to turn lead into gold.

True activism comes from, well, True Activism. 

Sheroic action comes from sheroic action.

Light a match.  BE the match.
Or get out of the way.

And, that's Life.

"She who would give Light, must endure burning."  Eleanor Roosevelt

2.18.2010

Start's Horror at "Jesus Saved us." Then, what of those 3 Crosses on your head???

[note: I speak centrally of the Church below, because that is the subject
of this piece, and NOT because the Church is negatively or positively part of my life
now - it is not - irrelevant.  It could become central again in my opposition
to what it does - if Our Parent ever calls me to that.  Think of me as
Dr. S below and you'll understand, if you like.]

Start's Horror at "Jesus Saved us." Then, what of those 3 Crosses on your
head???

Huh?  Start, you've got His cross on your forehead.  You profess that Jesus,
along with your biological father Saved YOU!  So what could possibly
be your "Horror at 'Jesus Saved us!?!?!?!?!?!?!'"  Well, if I can help
you see, this is how:

Dr. Albert Schweitzer CERTAINLY is one of the "Christians" that Jesus
will recognize.  Well, the following is an imaginary story.  Imagine
that Dr. Schweitzer, in the farthest recesses of Africa discovered a
massive outbreak of disease that was due to unclean water.  He
determined that boiling the water would end the massive outbreak
of a horrible disease.  So he did so - he set up a massive cauldron
of water, and a fire in the center of the village - day in and day out
fired the cauldron, boiled hundreds of gallons of water, provided it
to the townsfolk, and after only days, the horrible outbreak was
ended, and Dr. Schweitzer left saying, "Do this in memory of me."
His tireless efforts there had all but killed him.

Weeks later someone from the village traveled many, many days
to find Dr. Schweitzer and said, "Dr. Schweitzer, it is horrible, as soon
as you left the village, the disease came back just as strong as before!"
"Well, did you continue what I told you to do?"  "Yes," the villager
insisted!

Upon returning hurriedly to the village the first thing Dr. Schweitzer
saw was a huge alter with a statue of his figure above it.  Next he
saw a tiny cauldron of water on the alter, ringed with rare flowers,
with people singing near by, with a fire underneath.
And then to his horror he saw mothers returning from the fetid pond
with their jars filled with water for the houses.

"What are you doing!?!?!" he asked the townsfolk? "We are doing
everything you said, in memory of you, who "saved us."   "Including,"
they said, "we've established a special day, Sunday.  On Sunday we
pray about what you did, all that boiling, we drink boiled water during
a one hour gathering on Sunday morning, and we pray about boiling
water other days too, but of course, you are the special one from
God, so we cannot possibly do what you did, boil water every day.
We are sinners, you are pure....  But because you did it to Save
us, and because we profess that, we are Saved!"

They thought that Albert did it FOR them so they would not have to!
They thought that what he told them was "mystical ritual," when
what he taught them was LIFESAVING PRACTICE!!!!!

Dr. S learned that it wasn't quite as benign as that.  Turns out that
there was a Holy Man in the village, a truly nice man, the smartest
of them all.  As soon as Dr. S left the holy man said to the
people, "Dr. S, Saved us!  He is the special one, from God. 
We need to build him an altar.  We need
to worship him; we need to profess him our Savior, and we will
LIVE!  Otherwise we will die.  Now, go and get your drinking water
from the pond."  "WHAT?" shrieked the townsfolks?!  "Have you no
faith in Dr. S" the Holy Man shouted to shame them?  "Have faith! If
you believe in him, and profess him as your savior you will be saved!!!"

Turns out that A.  The Holy Man never grasped the truth of the fetid
water, so he could only imagine that it was some mysticism.  But there
is more.  2.  His livelihood depended on the Sacred tax he was paid
on the pond water; 3.  The village was part of a Kingdom funded by the
Sacred Tax on the water and all the villagers would be killed if they
stopped drinking the water and paying the tax.  And, 4. THE PEOPLE DIDN'T
REALLY WANT TO BELIEVE IN THE NEED TO BOIL WATER BECAUSE THAT
WOULD REQUIRE A MASSIVE CHANGE IN HOW THEY LIVED!!! Nicea.  Alexander.
Selfishness - THE GREAT DECEIVER - DENIAL AND DELUSION.

The Holy Man was Truly a nice man.  The Holy Man was truly a mass
killer.  The Holy Organization was made up of Truly nice folks.  They
were responsible for massive carnage.  The people were Truly nice
folks.  Their clinical Denial murdered their children.

If Dr. S became frantically opposed to their actions, would this be
hate, or harshness on his part?  He saw what the rest could
and WOULD NOT SEE!!!  HE WAS MORALLY BOUND TO ACT ON HIS VISION,
OUT OF LOVE.

The Jesus that Saves me did so at the point that, after decades of study,
prayer, trial and error, I TOTALLY REJECTED the notion that what Jesus
taught has ANYTHING to do with ritual, codes, professions, Church.... 
NO, IT DOES NOT, NO MORE THAN DOES BOILING FETID WATER. 
Boil, or die.  Love the least of these as Immediate Family, or die.  Simple.

Jesus showed us how to Live, how to escape Death:

*  "Do unto the LEAST (not lesser) of these ALL that you would
have them do unto you."
*  "Love as I have Loved."
*  "Lay down your life for the least (not lesser) of these."
'Love your enemy, and the stranger, EXACTLY AS YOU LOVE YOUR
IMMEDIATE FAMILY - NO DOUBLE STANDARDS - NO HYPOCRISY.'
*  "If you Love me you will do greater works than these."
*  'Pick up your cross and carry it, always - central, committed,
dedication to the needy.'  If your life is not carrying your cross,
you are not following me.

Albert Schweitzer, as with EVERY great healer, brother, friend, Family
member, DOES NOT WANT TO BE WORSHIPED, BUT RATHER, WANTS
TO BE JOINED IN HIS PRACTICE, IN HIS WAY OF BEING, HIS WAY OF
LIVING, HIS WAY OF SERVING!!!!

YES, Dr. S SACRIFICED HIS LIFE FOR OTHERS.  JESUS TOO!  BUT NOT
INSTEAD OF OTHERS DOING THE SAME, BUT RATHER SO THAT OTHERS
WOULD DO THE SAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In recent decades my study included Teresa of Calcutta and Francis
of Assisi.  In two books, one on each, written by different authors,
decades apart roughly the same comment was made in the introduction:
"She/he simply took Jesus at His word."  Me too.

"The greatest obstacle to someone being a Christian is people that
preach the Gospel but do not practice it." Teresa

"I think that a Christian should resemble Christ."  Teresa.

Christian (def):  Christlike

"We must preach the Gospel all day long, and occasionally use words
to do so."  Francis of Assisi

NONE of these speaks centrally of the "profession" of what Jesus did
for us - BUT RATHER TO THE PRACTICE, TO WHAT WE MUST DO!!!!!!!!

And Jesus -
"Do unto the LEAST (not lesser) of these ALL that you would
have them do unto you."
"Love as I have Loved."
"Lay down your life for the least (not lesser) of these."
'Love your enemy, and the stranger, EXACTLY AS YOU LOVE YOUR
IMMEDIATE FAMILY - NO DOUBLE STANDARDS - NO HYPOCRISY.'
"If you Love me you will do greater works than these."

"Do this in memory of me."  This saying I only "got" a few years ago.
Did He mean - do some ceremony?  NO, NEVER centrally. 
He meant - GIVE YOUR BODY, GIVE YOUR BLOOD FOR THE LEAST OF THESE,
IN MEMORY OF ME.  AGAIN. AGAIN. AGAIN. AGAIN....

How did Start live totally away from Jesus for most of his adulthood?
Because the Church, and our "Christian" culture drove him away from
Jesus words - telling him that THEY - Church and Culture - not Jesus
words, words that are sooooooooooo clear, would tell him the
Truth.  Well, when Start tried everything under the sun to find Life
AWAY FROM JESUS WORDS, he found only Death, the exact same Death he found
and finds in the Church, part of his Family.  And THEY DON'T SEE IT AS DEATH.  AND
NEITHER DOES THE ALCOHOLIC, CRACK ADDICT.  NO, rather in each of these
cases they insist that what Start sees as Death IS LIFE!  Have some
wine, have some crack, have some Church!  In the last 10 years he has thrown
off the deadly errors of the Church, for the Truths of Jesus words,
"Love (Live) as I have Loved (Lived)." In doing so Start has found what he can only
describe as TOTAL Joy, Life, Love, Peace-of-Heart that surpasses all understanding,
Truth AND PERSECUTIONS, EXACTLY as Jesus taught.

Start is NOT hung up in semantics.  Start IS TOTALLY HUNG UP THAT THERE
IS A TRUTH, A WAY OF LIFE, A WAY OF LIVING THAT CAN SAVE US!!!! 

"Love as I have Loved," is that Truth. THAT TRUTH IS NOT -
*  I Loved as I did SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO; or,
* I AM THE SON OF GOD, SO YOU CAN TRY BUY YOU WILL FAIL AT
LOVING AS I HAVE LOVED.  NO.  THAT IS NOT
WHAT HE SAID, AND HE DIDN'T DECEIVE US - HE DIDN'T TELL US TO DO
WHAT WE WERE INCAPABLE OF.  "If you Love me, you will do greater
works than these."  WE ARE CAPABLE OF, AND CALLED BY HIM TO
GO BEYOND WHAT HE GAVE US - NOT SIT IN SELF DEPRECATING "WORSHIP!"

"Whoever claims to abide in Jesus AUGHT TO LIVE JUST LIKE JESUS LIVED."
2 John, Ch. 2

'You said Lord Lord, but I don't know you.'  This is the church
today - He does not know it, or know today's Christians.  They
do NOT Live as though the Poor WERE THEIR IMMEDIATE FAMILY.  AND THEY
DEMAND THAT THIS IS NOT WHAT JESUS DEMANDED OF THEM, and they they are
but poor sinners,  incapable of doing so!!!!!!!!!!!  B*ll Sh*t.

Do I care that folks talk of Jesus dying for their sins?  No,  I care that they
speak of it centrally, as though that is EVEN SLIGHTLY CENTRAL.  Does Jesus have
some ego problem?  Did Albert Schwetzer?  Schweitzer didn't care if they
knew that he was the one that saved them.  HE JUST WANTED THEM SAVED!
SAME WITH JESUS, ONLY MORE SO!  AND BOTH KNEW THAT THEY COULD NOT,
COULD NOT, COULD NOT, COULD NOT... SAVE THEM.  THEY COULD ONLY
SHOW THEM (US) HOW TO SAVE THEMSELVES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Although it doesn't prove the point, I am sure it is about the point - the
parable of the two sons - one of whom "says" all the right words - 'yes
father I will do what you want!'   But he does NOT LIVE THE PRACTICE.
And the other son who says "NO!" But he DOES the Life's practice.

Jesus teachings are FULL of examples of the Saved -
Peace Makers...
Poor...
Meek...
Those who have done the works of Love...

NOT JESUS BUT THE CHURCH is the one that MAKES FIRST AND FOREMOST
PROFESSION OF JESUS AS SAVIOR, AND THE LIKE.

NO, I stand with Jesus.

If with the above I am unclear, I have little hope of explaining. Sorry.

Your brother,

Start

ps:  I'm described as Harsh.  IS A FIREFIGHTER HARSH WHEN HE SCREAMS AT
FOLKS TO GET OUT OF A BURNING BUILDING?  IF HE FORCEFULLY GRABS THEM
AND YANKS THEM TO SAFETY?  Wouldn't he be living "Dead" if he did not?

"Primary Connection TO the Neediest IS SOUL. No Connection, No Soul." SL

"Primary Connection TO the Neediest IS SOUL. No Connection, No Soul." SL

Like a sunflower with no sun.

Like a tether ball without the tether.

Like a water skier without the tow boat.

Like slingshot without the sling.

Like an arrow without the bow.

Like a compass without magnetism.

Like earth without gravity.

Like a human without oxygen....

Most young children, but not 1 in 10,000 western adults have
a Soul; in this most Deadly of Cultures, ever. Rampant Toxicity.

We are dying by being physically and psychologically separated
from the neediest in Our Family - and we are therefore dying.

To help the needy IS THE REASON WE WERE CREATED. PERIOD.

PERIOD.

WE HAVE LOST OUR REASON TO BE.

2.16.2010

"The two means of Change: Exact from Others or Personally Pay the Price; Love and Violence respectively." SL

"The two means of Change: 
Exact from Others, or
Personally Pay the Price;

Love and Violence respectively.

Lip Service, Cowardly Inaction,
Fruitless Debate, Moral Indecisiveness,
Chronic Ignorance and Blindness...
are all Violence through Complicity
and Negligent Homicide"
  SL

"The Quintessential Salvation / Peace Making Story: '12 Angry Men.'" SL

The near perfect picture of Change is the movie 12 Angry Men - you've seen it?
One guy, of the 12, simply refuses to deviate from the Truth as best he can know it.
All the rest hate him for it. He doesn't argue, he just Stands. Then one joins him.
Slowly a second. Slowly, slowly, slowly.... all 12. Hate FEEDS on argument. Jesus,
King, Gandhi... didn't argue. They Stood, regardless the personal price.
REGARDLESS. ESPECIALLY IF THE PERSONAL PRICE IS EXTREME.

We need to Stand, and work. barackobama(.)com, if we are serious; the myriad
of excuses, self-deceptions, excuses and delusions if not.

sl

ps: If you haven't seen Avatar - HURRY.