I debated a well known Mennonite preacher about pacifism, the topic was the article I wrote in February… http://xperteas.nateknows.com/?page_id=266

It went well, different than I thought as he avoided my article as much as possible. Here is a brief overview…

*He started on refuting flat theology, which we agreed on.

*Discussed the the 2 kingdom theory, which I was pretty quiet about since I have not studied it in depth.

*We then got to the sermon on the mount. We spent a fair amount a time there, but mostly disagreed. He stated the common nonresistant view that Christ was commanding us not to kill. I responded the same way I did in the article and he simply disagreed. (after going around and around)

*We also touched on the church and state andwe got back to the 2 kingdom theory. He stated that nothing is neutral, and that christian parents should not leave inheritance to unchristian children. That would be taking something from Gods kingdom and putting it in the kingdom of the world. We disagreed greatly here.

*I brought up Luke 3:12-14, and they (the host of the debate was also a Mennonite) stated that we are to “do violence to no man” and that one cannot do wrong in order to make right. “The end justifies the means” is not a christian philosophy. I agreed with that, but asked why Jesus said to “be content with your wages”? Would he have said that to a man who’s profession was immoral? He wanted to know what “wages” meant. I looked it up in strong’s dictionary.

G3800
ὀψώνιον
opsōnion
op-so’-nee-on
Neuter of a presumed derivative of the same as G3795; rations for a soldier, that is, (by extension) his stipend or pay: - wages.

He had no explanation for this.

The conclusion I draw from this is our biggest difference is our belief the kingdoms. This will be the next topic I research. It was an enlightening debate for everyone I believe. He understood his theology better than almost anyone I have ever deeply conversed with.

http://cbs11tv.com/local/patriotism.at.office.2.1020415.html

“MANSFIELD (CBS 11 News) ―

Is it okay to show your patriotism at the office?

For one Arlington woman, the answer was “no” after she hung an American flag in her office just before the Memorial Day weekend.

Debbie McLucas is one of four hospital supervisors at Kindred Hospital in Mansfield. Last week, she hung a three-by-five foot American flag in the office she shares with the other supervisors.

When McLucas came to work Friday, her boss told her another supervisor had found her flag offensive. “I was just totally speechless. I was like, ‘You’re kidding me,’” McLucas said.

McLucas’ husband and sons are former military men. Her daughter is currently serving in Iraq as a combat medic.

Stifling a cry, McLucas said, “I just wonder if all those young men and women over there are really doing this for nothing.”

McLucas said the supervisor who complained has been in the United States for 14 years and is formerly from Africa. McLucas said the supervisor took down Debbie’s flag herself.

“The flag and the pole had been placed on the floor,” McLucas said. But McLucas also said hospital higher ups had told her some patients’ families and visitors had also complained.

“I was told it wouldn’t matter if it was only one person,” she said. “It would have to come down.”

McLucas said hospital bosses told her as far as patriotism was concerned, the flag flying outside the hospital building would have to suffice.

Kindred Hospital Corporate Headquarters are located in Kentucky. They have yet to make a final decision on the matter. They have not returned our phone calls for comment.

The Kindred Hospital Corporation was chosen as Fortune’s most admired for 2009. McLucas hopes they’ll back her patriotism.

“I find it very frightening because if I can’t display my flag, what other freedoms will I lose before all is said and done,” McLucas asked.”

America has come so far down the sink hole of fear of offending anyone that we can’t even show our pride in our country anymore. This is far from digesting…there are no words to describe my distaste at  reading this. When are we going to stop taking this craziness sitting down? We need to wake up & fight!!!

This is one of the stupidest things…

http://wcbstv.com/topstories/air.force.one.2.996457.html

“Federal officials knew that sending two fighter jets and Air Force One to buzz ground zero and Lady Liberty might set off nightmarish fears of a 9/11 replay, but they still ordered the photo-op kept secret from the public.

In a memo obtained by CBS 2 HD the Federal Aviation Administration’s James Johnston said the agency was aware of “the possibility of public concern regarding DOD (Department of Defense) aircraft flying at low altitudes” in an around New York City. But they demanded total secrecy from the NYPD, the Secret Service, the FBI and even the mayor’s office and threatened federal sanctions if the secret got out.”

“The cost of the frivolous flight was about $60,000 an hour and that was just for Air Force One. That doesn’t include the cost of the two F-16s that came along.”

After a large amount of grunting I managed to get this 15′ 14″ beam up in place and supporting the 2nd story.

Ted Nugent on 105.7 this morning… generally an anti-gun station, but it wasn’t this morning.

http://podcasting.fia.net/5842/3613100.mp3

AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry joined state Rep. Brandon Creighton and sponsors of House Concurrent Resolution (HCR) 50 in support of states’ rights under the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

“I believe that our federal government has become oppressive in its size, its intrusion into the lives of our citizens, and its interference with the affairs of our state,” Gov. Perry said. “That is why I am here today to express my unwavering support for efforts all across our country to reaffirm the states’ rights affirmed by the Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. I believe that returning to the letter and spirit of the U.S. Constitution and its essential 10th Amendment will free our state from undue regulations, and ultimately strengthen our Union.”

Perry continued: “Millions of Texans are tired of Washington, DC trying to come down here to tell us how to run Texas.”

Very interesting article.

http://www.reason.com/news/show/131131.html

……………Police Militarization

In the 1980s, the “war” part of the drug war got very real. America’s long (and wise) constraint on using the military for domestic policing began to blur, as states deployed National Guard troops to search for marijuana hidden in fields and forests and, in some cases, to patrol drug-riddled inner cities. The line between cop and soldier further blurred when President Reagan authorized active-duty elite military units to train with narcotics police, and then again with the exploding use of paramilitary SWAT teams in America.

Only a handful of police departments had SWAT teams in the 1970s, and they were only deployed in total a few hundred times per year. That number soared to around 4,000 per year by the early 1980s. There are around 50,000 SWAT deployments per year today in America, and they’re primarily used to serve drug warrants……………..

Campaign for Liberty’s Steve Bierfeldt has become an unexpected Internet sensation — and the latest target of over-reaching federal government agents.

You see, Steve was detained by Airport Police and TSA officials shortly after the Campaign for Liberty regional conference in St. Louis.

The officials rudely berated and harassed Steve for 30 minutes in a secluded room at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport.   Fortunately, Steve was able to record nearly all of the interrogation with his cell phone.

Steve’s alleged “crime”?  Carrying $4,700 in checks and cash from Campaign for Liberty, along with various other materials from our conference.

The local and Federal agents harassed Steve.  They were belligerent, cursing and using insulting language.  They threatened to turn Steve over to the DEA and the FBI, all the while refusing to inform him of his legal rights or explain how cash and checks threatened airplane or airport security.

Throughout the interrogation, Steve remained polite but resolute and declined to answer the invasive questions without an adequate explanation from these federal and local agents as to why they needed to be answered.  Without telling Steve what law he was accused of breaking, they continued their harassment.

Although they grew increasingly frustrated that he remained committed to exercising his rights, intervention from another officer eventually led the police to reluctantly release Steve.

Last Wednesday, Steve appeared on Judge Napolitano’s Freedom Watch to discuss the flagrant violation of his rights and to promote the importance of each of us defending our civil liberties.

Steve’s ordeal is a reminder to all patriots that liberty is constantly under fire, and we must remain vigilant and prepared to stand up for our rights.