Yet Another Warning in Scriptures Regarding Evil Thoughts

Ecclesiastes 10:20

Curse not the king, no, not even in your thoughts; and curse not the rich in your bedchamber, for a bird of the air will carry the voice, and a winged creature will tell the matter.

The scriptures is very explicit about the severity of sins of gossip and destruction of persons or honor through malicious speech. People forget, however, that in God's infinite wisdom, that "even" evil thoughts create actions and intentions that perform evil, and come to the attention of the Lord. In this passage from Ecclesiastes, notice there are two consequences of evil thought. One is that the "voice" is carried by "a bird of the air." The use of this imagery means that something real will result from evil thoughts. It's not sorcery - it is common sense that if someone is having evil thoughts about someone, that they are making bad choices and conducting oneself in a sinful way in resultant deeds. The second image "and a winged creature will tell the matter" is an indication that nothing escapes the attention of the Lord, and that such evil thoughts will be accounted for and punished.

St George escorts Boris Yeltsin to his reward

Boris Yeltsin, 1st President of the Russian Federation, passed today, on St. George's Day, reportedly of a heart attack. I find it no coincidence.... no, not as a conspiracy theory, but rather, one of those occasional universal justices that acknowledge the great significance of a man. No matter what mistakes President Yeltsin made, and they were many, in the implementation of post Communist "democracy" in the Russian Federation, he deserves an enormous amount of credit as a real father of democracy and over-thrower of tyranny. (I am also fond of Gorbachev, who was the last President of the Soviet Union and who also deserves enormous credit for bravely steering the Soviet Union toward some freedom. I remember seeing Gorbachev in a motorcade driving by my office in NYC and I thought, there is a brave man who will at last usher in freedom in the Soviet Union.) Today though I want to heap praise on the memory and man of Boris Yeltsin.

Boris Yeltsin is the answer to everyone who thinks about a politician "Wow, I could do a better job." Could you? Would you? He had to ride a tank, and two years later, send actual firing tanks, and not as a publicity stunt for USA media, but to fight those who still supported Godless Communism (and there is no other type is there? Though I have great hopes for China's conversion!) I think he had the most dangerous job in the world... he who was born a peasant, worked in construction, joined the Party, came to the attention of Gorbachev. He didn't get to read the Harvard Business Review, or have a Big Five consultant team guide him and his country from the chains of Communism and freedom. He had morals, he had nerve, he had his family, he had ingenuity, and yes some bottles of vodka... and he did what many of us despaired of ever seeing. And he deserves a lot of praise, and prayers for his salvation. He opened the door back up for the Church in Russia, and that should never be forgotten. And so I think it's just fine that he passed on, perhaps on the coattails, of the great St George.

A Welcome Step Back from the Precipice

Praise for the Supreme Court majority who voted to uphold the ban on "partial birth abortions." This is the first step back from the precipice that has already taken so many lives (babies), wounded the spirits of those men and women who have had abortions (whether they admit it or not), and have threatened the souls of the enablers (abortion providers, funders, promoters, and apologists.) And above all, has brought humankind to the brink of a culture of death, where all that people do is scratch their heads and bloviate about the evil and squandering of life they see around them, and wonder why. How can a society that does not love, treasure, and protect babies above all survive? It cannot.

Sirach 35:
To keep the Law is a great oblation, and he who observes the commandments sacrifices a peace offering. In works of charity one offers fine flour, and when he gives alms he presents his sacrifice of praise. To refrain from evil pleases the Lord, and to avoid injustice is an atonement. Appear not before the Lord empty-handed, for all that you offer is in fulfillment of the precepts. The just man's offering enriches the altar and rises as a sweet odor before the Most High. The just man's sacrifice is most pleasing, nor will it ever be forgotten... Give to the Most High as he has given to you, generously, according to your means. For the Lord is one who always repays, and he will give back to you sevenfold.

God understands that having a child is a commitment and a sacrifice. However, in this land of plenty and charity, there is no excuse for having an abortion . This scripture states "Give to the Most High as he has given to you"... and that clearly means, you have received your very life from the Lord, and you should promote life in kind. It is not too much to ask that a child be brought to term and if necessary, given in love through adoption. To abort a child is to slap God in the face, for you are not even grateful for your own life, to thus reject a life that you brought into being. Those who oppose abortion are obligated to help those who are tempted by the sin of abortion, even if one has to make a financial sacrifice. Again, the Lord always repays.

The Real Titanic: Abortion, Infant and Child Abuse

No offense to survivors and relatives of those who perished, as their grief is genuine and honored, as is that grief of any tragedy and loss.

Having said that, besides the bona fide mourners, why do people (Hollywood and OCD types) care more about the Titanic than current day "Titanics?"

How about the lives of the aborted children, in the millions, whose love will never have a chance to "go on"?

How about the daily horror stories of physical and sexual abuse of babies, young children, and the helpless innocent?

Darfur, Darfur, Darfur....

Iraq... how about that country as the Titanic?

Goodness. I know everyone needs a hobby but I wish people would get a grip and stop worshipping at the watery grave of one set of people.

These same worshippers never give a moment's thought to the many who sank beneath the waves defending the world from Nazism and fascism in World War II. I wouldn't mind so much if there were endless movies, theme songs, on line resources, and memorial "goods" produced in their name and memory!

Rant ooooooooover!!

Catfish Hunter and Baseball Thoughts

When I was just a little girl, my neighbor, a retired gentleman, loved to lay his lawn chair in the blazing summer sun and listen to baseball games on the radio. Back then, that was the way folks followed the games, since there was no TV coverage. As I grew up, my high school, like most upstate NY schools, was football mad, so I followed their games. Still, I used to enjoy sitting on the hot bleachers when it was baseball season and watch our barely populated team practice. No one watched them with me, but they loved the sport and carried on anyway. I remember the shyest guy was on the team.

I've always loved baseball, even when it's not been easily available to me. Because to me, it's best when it's seen in person. I was furious when the baseball strike came near to ruining the game. And I've loved many of the players from the 50's through now, no matter what team they were playing on. I love the game more than the teams. Good thing because they move around so much now anyway.

I was reading a magazine yesterday about fantasy baseball (I've not gotten to the point of doing that yet) and I thought of one of my favorites from a long time ago, Catfish Hunter. I mostly followed his career when he was with the Oakland A's (sorry Yankees, I wasn't paying much attention to you then, when he later joined.) I can still immediately recall how Catfish looked when he pitched for the A's. I just looked at some photos of him to see if my mental image of him was still as clear as I thought it was, and indeed, the pictures show that same pitching style, the mustache of course, and just his overall stance. I often can't say exactly what it is that makes me admire a particular baseball player. I can only say it's something about their overall package that catches my eye. So I thought about Catfish and how he's on the heavenly fantasy baseball team. His birthday is this Sunday, April 8.

April Fool? Or Bismarck's Birthday?

Otto Eduard Leopold, Prince von Bismarck, Duke of Lauenburg, Count von Bismarck-Schönhausen.

April 1, 1815 - July 30, 1898

In the name of "unifying" the German states under a common "kulture" he worked to oppress Roman Catholicism. The first of modern secularists who think they are "unifying" and "helping" their country by attacking the Church.

Happy birthday to all of you who think you are reincarnated Otto von Bismarck!
(Except, well, there is no reincarnation and that's not an April Fool's joke. People ought to be relieved to know that they truly are living their own lives, and not at the puppet strings of reincarnation...)

More correctly would be that his new "birthday" became July 30, when he "met his maker."
(I wonder what God thought of suppressing people's religious rights in the "goal" of "achieving a unified culture?!") Hmmm.

My mother's German and when I was a child she taught me a funny ditty about Bismarck. On the serious side, this shows that even events in the 1800's are only a generation or two away, and their implications ripple onward (without it being due to reincarnation LOL!)

And so we turn our attention from the oppressions of the past, and during this Lent, praise the New German, our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI. I hope that he continues to have much success in teaching those who listen how there is no "culture" if one turns one's back on God.