December, 2009

Our IMHO page is created in the hope that

those with firm opinions on personal growth, world events and whathaveyou

will share their ideas with us.  CHALLENGE US to a deeper level of thinking!

disclaimer: the opinions posted here are

not necessarily those of Fibromom or the Bitterman’s Banners Team

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From a Friend of K-9 THE ANT AND THE GRASSHOPPER This one is a little different... . Two Different Versions.... ......... .... Two Different Morals OLD VERSION The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away.. Come winter, the ant is warm and well fed. The grasshopper has no food or shelter, so he dies out in the cold. MORAL OF THE STORY: Be responsible for yourself! MODERN VERSION The ant works hard in the withering heat and the rain all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away. Come winter, the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed while he is cold and starving. CBS, NBC , PBS, CNN, and ABC show up to provide pictures of the shivering grasshopper next to a video of the ant in his comfortable home with a table filled with food. America is stunned by the sharp contrast. How can this be, that in a country of such wealth, this poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer so? Kermit the Frog appears on Oprah with the grasshopper and everybody cries when they sing, 'It's Not Easy Being Green.' ACORN stages a demonstration in front of the ant's house where the news stations film the group singing, We shall overcome. Then Rev. Jeremiah Wright has the group kneel down to pray to God for the grasshopper's sake. President Obama condemns the ant and blames President Bush, President Reagan, Christopher Columbus, and the Pope for the grasshopper's plight. Nancy Pelosi & Harry Reid exclaim in an interview with Larry King that the ant has gotten rich off the back of the grasshopper, and both call for an immediate tax hike on the ant to make him pay his fair share. Finally, the EEOC drafts the Economic Equity & Anti-Grasshopper Act retroactive to the beginning of the summer. The ant is fined for failing to hire a proportionate number of green bugs and, having nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes, his home is confiscated by the Government Green Czar and given to the grasshopper. The story ends as we see the grasshopper and his free-loading friends finishing up the last bits of the ants food while the government house he is in, which, as you recall, just happens to be the ant's old house, crumbles around them because the grasshopper doesn't maintain it. The ant has disappeared in the snow, never to be seen again. The grasshopper is found dead in a drug related incident, and the house, now abandoned, is taken over by a gang of spiders who terrorize the ramshackle, once prosperous and once peaceful, neighborhood. The entire Nation collapses bringing the rest of the free world with it. MORAL OF THE STORY: Be careful how you vote in 2010. I've sent this to you because I believe that you are an ant not a grasshopper! Make sure that you pass this on to other ants. Don't bother sending it on to any grasshoppers because they wouldn't understand it, anyway. And when the time of destiny for our souls comes, we, too, will offer up our lives for the life of our people, be they grateful or not. For their gratitude or ingratitude does not grant nor revoke our duty to the folk and Creator. Conviction is worthless unless it is converted into conduct. - Thomas Garlyle Ex Gladio Libertas (Freedom comes from the sword)

From a Friend of Tentmakers and Fibromom in regard to the U.S. Economy

In the U.S., unprecedented Federal borrowing and bailouts have created asymbolic economy of the stock market rally and bogus "recovery" statistics.
Even as measurements of the real economy show structural devolution (tax receipts continue to plummet, incomes and hours worked remain at Depression levels, jobs are still being lost, etc.), the stock market's 70% rise is in effect the symbolic evidence that the "economy is recovering." Behind this symbolic facade, the real economy lies in ruins.
How can GDP be growing at a robust 3.5% clip (oops, already adjusted down to 2.7% a few weeks ago and now it's been adjusted down again to 2.2%) while employment and tax receipts are both falling? The answer: statistics are ginned up to support the symbolic economy of recovery, rising corporate earnings and a "new Bull Market" in stocks.
As a reader noted here earlier in the year, the stock market is the sole accomplishment of this administration and Congress. Without the "feel good" "New Bull Market," then the emptiness of the real U.S. economy would be in full view.
The Powers That Be might be questioned at that point, so a facade of "recovery" and a rising stock market are presented as a symbolic U.S. economy.
Take the Chimerica facades for reality at your peril.

They're All Against Jobs-An insiders view on why our economy is likely not to recover. By Sen. Fritz Hollings, Democrat Retired

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article24230.htm

Gerald Celente - 2010 Prepare for the Worse-Prominent Trends Forecaster.

http://eclipptv.com/viewVideo.php?video_id=9060

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From K-9, a member of our Team: The Almighty “they”

I spoke to fibromom the other day. She authorized me to present my opinion on political matters on Bitterman’s Banners. She also asked that, whenever I do research on this, one of my favorite topics, that I also post authority, notations or bibliography supporting my documentation.  This did then and still does seem reasonable. This also gave me a lot to think about and to answer. Today, though, I will just share my humble opinion here on the topic of “they.”

I think the target for this article would be to explore the almighty ‘they’ as an influence of your opinion. As a law enforcement officer for 32+ years I must tell you I hate pronouns, especially ‘they’ or ‘them’. These are faceless often imaginary beings.

‘They’ think you are lazy. ‘They’ are all thieves. ‘They’ want you to try doing your job differently. ‘They’ want you to smile more, be nice.

‘They’ are a cloak to hide opinions that may not fit well with the listener, or opinions that agree with the listener but would not be acceptable in the public arena. Something like ‘they’ should not be in this country. OR ‘They’ just want your money. OR ‘They’ do not fit our society or community.

‘They’ almost always develop out of unsubstantiated opinion. Everyone has an opinion. Opinions are based on our life experiences and teachings. Opinions are also based on beliefs that other people we respect have. “Other people” is a form of ‘they’. ‘They’ say ‘those’ people are not to be trusted.

1, Courts issue “opinions” and then the people say ‘they’ tell us we can not commit a certain act or act in a certain manner. The court opinion is backed by evidence and application of law or other court opinions, [like fibromom’s request for an authority], that help the jurist form their opinion. When you serve on a jury [something we all love to do, right?] you are asked to give YOUR opinion regarding the evidence in a case. Evidence being your reference for your opinion. How often have you heard a juror say, “I think he/she did the crime but the prosecutor didn’t prove it.” This is usually an excuse not to make an unpleasant opinion or verdict. [MY OPINION based on experience and interviews with jurors and judges].The judge then acts upon the opinion or verdict. Then the person who looses the trial, someone has to loose, appeals to a ‘higher’ court to change the opinion or verdict.

2, The higher court issues an opinion which may agree or set aside the lower court verdict. This is a main source for ‘they’. If we like what that court says then our opinion is reinforced by ‘them’ [a form of they]. If we do not like ‘their’ opinion then ‘they’ are idiots. Right?

3, When we exercise our right in the US to vote we are expressing a very important opinion. If our vote is upheld then we join ‘them’ if our vote is not upheld then we get to call ‘them’ names and blame ‘them’ for problems. However the consequence of not voting is the loss of basis for a complaint.

The Bible tells us that Jesus spoke as one with authority***. That is His opinion carried weight beyond His position in His society. This was a report written by His Deciples BUT it was reported as witnessed reaction of the then non-believers. ‘They’ were astonished at the authority of Jesus. We all know ‘they’ shouldn’t have been now but then things were new to those citizens.

Back to me and my disclaimer. I write and speak with the authority of my experience. What that experience is may not mean much or it may mean a great deal. That depends on the subject and my experience with it. I base statements I make on events of the day, history, my experience and what people I respect have to say. I judge and balance the information based on its source. A very close friend may make a statement that I want to believe but he has no basis or authority to make that statement I am obliged to make my own investigation. You too, my friends, are obliged to investigate what you hear and read and see before coming to your very own personal opinion.

None of this negates the importance of faith. Faith too is based on something you can investigate. That Jesus is the Son of God is a faith-based belief. Not because the preacher says so, or the neighbor or any other witness, but like the trial of your own life there is evidence that supports this faith. You need to investigate and form your own belief because in the time of trial or turmoil your faith will be tested and the basis of that faith will become very important. This, my friends, is my personal opinion based on my life experiences, to notate this would take an autobiography. On lesser opinions I will bend to fibromom’s request and supply notations for statements I make of a worldly nature.

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CHRISTIANITY AND POLITICS, by K-9.

How is that for a ‘gottcha’ heading? A better heading might read “Christianity vs. Politics”. Definitely we have evolved from a faith-based foundation laid by our country’s founding founders to an apologetic ‘don’t make people uncomfortable’ society.

Well it is what it is and all falls into God’s plan. How is it God’s plan for the decline of this country? In the beginning God created heaven and earth. Starts there doesn’t it? When was ‘the beginning’? What did God create? How? Science says bla bla bla! In my readings and studies the only conflict I see is in interpretation. Explain the ‘big bang’, where did it come from? Well my personal answer is that it was God’s Will. Can God build a rock bigger than He can lift? Yes, if He wants to!

Concerning God’s Will and the Word. Given a document that is several thousand years old and has been translated into hundreds of languages and even re-translated in those languages dozens of times and given the 270+ denominations of ‘Christianity’ it is remarkable anything at all exists. This ‘document’ was put together by men from inspired writings but I think God cringes every time He sees what these men did to His massage. Left things in they liked, took things out they did not like, changed the wording to fit their ideas. The historians do not even mention if these men even prayed. Credit God Himself for even maintaining a string of truth for us to cling to. Cling to. That implies action doesn’t it? No man has understanding unless God gives it to him. But understanding is the beginning and comes from Divine Inspiration. Each inspiration can be built upon. [‘Word upon word, precept upon precept ] A favorite song line [I do not even know if the singers are ‘Christians’ it is not important because God uses other people, Christian or not, to inspire and move us to action] “I can swear there ain’t no Heaven but I pray there ain’t no hell” [Blood, Sweat and Tears group, 1969.] Just seems to fit for me for some reason. Seems people just talk about things but do nothing or believe nothing but hope for something to happen to them for them. Here is another. “Some men see things and ask why, I dream things and ask why not.” [Robert Kennedy 1967] Why not is an action phrase, isn’t it?

Back to God’s plan.

My opinion personally is that God did not stop talking to or revealing Himself to man after the last word in Revelation. God speaks to us on a regular basis, Through prayer, through actions of others, both ‘good’ and ‘bad, through inspiration and writings of others and through inspiration in our own lives, our own witness , and actions. Understanding God’s plan is like considering nature. The big picture gives an overview  of the environment and focusing on little things show the building blocks of the big picture. So like Google Earth when you zoom out you see the world differently. God’s view is zoomed out and this country was born to be a light and blessing for the world.

WE strayed and did things that were amoral like slavery and taking the native peoples land without treating them justly. ‘Manifest Destiny’ was the term. By the time Manifest Destiny phrase came about though we had forsaken other phrases like do not covet, do not steal, help those in need and so the list goes. We had moved out from the protection and blessing of God.

Back to politics.

I believe God inspired the founding fathers of this country. They started a revolution first in protests and other peaceful means and then in armed warfare. The world gave them no chance of winning this revolution. No one helped in the fighting for several years. The English Empire could have easily defeated the revolutionaries were it not for God’s intervention in the politics of the world. The colonies were pretty much just an unknown resource for the Empire. There were other considerations for the Empire. The Caribbean sugar and strategic location, the French being long time enemies were in ‘French America = Canada’, The Empire’s holdings and considerations in other parts of the world, the Scottish rebellion had just been put down 20 years before all fit into God’s plan for this country.

What exactly was the vision of this new country? There was conflict from day one. Even a duel, and lifelong bitter rivalries. The first President was a reluctant one. The nation was basically rural with just a few major urban area. The people were independent in smaller social circles. When a barn burned down or a house or a fire in town the community gathered to treat the injured, rebuild the structures and maintain civil order. The center of their social interaction was a church. This is where they got information on what was happening, the newspapers reflected the more global events like announcing election results or impending conflicts. The newspapers also reported local events, births, deaths, marriages, [divorce nearly unheard of], as well as other notable information.

The US armed services were nearly non-existent as much for lack of need as for budget. There was no FDA, no Fed, no FHA or FEMA or IRS or any other regulatory government institution. The purpose of the Federal Government was defense of the country and to protect interstate commerce. Local and state governments also protected the population through [small] militias, limited law enforcement and basic rules and regulations. Don’t murder, don’t steal, don’t cheat, don’t lie [perjure], stuff like this. Hmmm wonder where that all came from?  Then there were social mores like, don’t commit adultery, honor your parents [and family], help the unfortunate, treat people with kindness, be humble and not haughty, hmmm.

My how we have evolved! Don’t believe in evolution? Well look at the evidence. We have changed [evolved?] from a God fearing, man respecting, modest people to a well regulated, loophole seeking, everyone for themselves selfish godless caveman. Oops that is devolution isn’t it not evolution. Should we be afraid? Should we care? Well yes, but being afraid or being empathetic is like looking at a large rock overhanging a road. If no one DOES SOMETHING then the rock is going to kill someone. Maybe even you. What would Jesus do? What did Jesus do?

Jesus did not advocate violence. Violence does seem like the most efficient use of our limited energy. We have all reacted violently at one time or the other or wanted very much to do so. Maybe it was out youth or just what others were doing. I am not a pacifist, maybe I should be. I believe in defending myself, my family my Brothers, even violently. I find that God smote many times but righteously. His motivations were not of greed or adulterousness.

Back to Jesus. Study the ‘Beatitudes’ Study Jesus the man’s life, study Jesus the God’s life. Where has society gone wrong or strayed from the will of God? We as a country need to be told that if a man has ‘inside’ information about a company or industry they should not use this to personal gain. We should not cheat the widow or the homeless. Why is it we need to be told this? We feel the country need to feed the poor, heal the sick, help the homeless. This is nice but not what God set up in this country. The people need to do these things. The country doctor, the barn builders, the aid given to the poor we need these things. Help people get back on their feet, give them dignity, provide them with a way to give back to society when the need arises.

Yes there are people that want to kill us, to destroy us. These people are different from other enemies. They do not care if they live or die themselves. What do they want? What will satisfy them? They call us Crusaders. What were the Crusaders? They were armies of poor peasants led by rich land owners or ‘lords and kings’. These leaders feel they needed to free the ‘Holy Land’ in order to do God’s will. They did free the physical Jerusalem several times but nothing changed in their lives, no transformation took place and no real blessing was felt. Wonder why? I believe it was not God’s will. This country was founded through God’s will and was blessed, it has now decided to modify God’s will and is no longer being blessed.

Individually we need to follow Jesus and His teachings. Help the poor, help each other, feed the hungry, heal the sick these are all verbs [words of action]. This world is important only in that is gives us opportunity to show Jesus. To do this we need to maintain the values and standards that we know are from God.

This is a call for action; if you want more from this author, let us know.

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