Author Archives: Benjamin Moore

About Benjamin Moore

When someone asks who you are, give them your name. When they ask but, who are you really? Remain silent.

Strong Delusion – Black People, Their Churches and Their Clergy

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The Way of the Slave. Many are still on that path.

by Benjamin T. Moore, Jr.

“We grant you [Kings of Spain and Portugal] by these present documents, with our Apostolic Authority, full and free permission to invade, search out, capture, and subjugate the Saracens and pagans and any other unbelievers and enemies of Christ wherever they may be, as well as their kingdoms, duchies, counties, principalities, and other property […] and to reduce their persons into perpetual slavery.” __Papal Bull from Pope Nicholas V in 1452 known as the Dum Diversas

For the first time in recorded human history, it became possible to become a slave in perpetuity. Chattel Slavery was born. Prior to that Slavery wasn’t for life. Slaves had rights, could own property, buy their freedom early and knew their release dates.

In 1492 Columbus was going to discover a “new world” and the market in human misery was going to explode. Africans in particular were going to become an expendable and replaceable commodity. During the 400 plus years slavery was practiced in the “Americas,” by conservative estimates, 100 million Africans would lose their lives between the point of capture but before they made it to the auction blocks. This was the greatest holocaust in recorded human history.

Think about all of the issues our returning soldiers face when returning home. The things they’ve seen, the things they’ve done have consequences that many times require years of therapy under the care of a trained psychologist. Only a true socio-path is immune to human suffering. To be sure many slave traders were socio-paths, not all were. These people needed some way to compartmentalize what they were doing. They needed some way to rationalize what they were doing to their fellow human beings.

Some convinced themselves that Africans were “sub-human.” They told themselves that Africans were just a little above animals. This may have salved their consciences… until they began raping African women. Having sex with animals is a mortal sin. This undoubtedly created a continual state of cognitive dissonance. Other’s convinced themselves they were “missionaries.” Sure they were enslaving the bodies of Africans, but they were also exposing them to Christianity thereby saving their immortal souls.

Christianity was the perfect religion for their dirty job. The Christian Bible is rife with passages that speak of being a servant or pleasing God by pleasing your “master.”   If Slaves could be Christianized and learn to accept Slavery as their God ordained station in life, it would serve to pacify them. The plan was simple. Make the Slaves believe that the only true God was the Christian God. Make them believe that this God was all powerful. Make them believe that this God was watching over them and by extension it was his will that they be Slaves.

To this end, Slaves were robbed of their culture, their languages and their names. They were given good Christian names. They were not allowed to speak their own languages. Families frequently were broken up with children being sold off so they could not pass on their culture in secret. It was a diabolically, insidious system of control.

Praise House

There were no unions for slaves. They worked from sun up to sun down. The only day they did not have to work was on Sunday. At first white people allowed the slaves to enter their churches to hear the “Gospel.” Of course that didn’t last long because children will be children. Young children who had not yet learned to hate, no doubt began playing together. The solution was to build slave churches. These were places, usually on plantations where slaves were allowed to attend Sunday services. They had their own Black Preachers, many who could not read, but who could recite the stories they’d been told. They were allowed to go to the white church and listen to the sermon, then go and relate that sermon to the Slaves.

John Jasper – Slave Preacher from Virgina

Being a Black preacher was the first opportunity to have an officially recognized position in white society. You were viewed as being better than and above the other Slaves. You were a safe Negro. You had embraced turning the other cheek, non-violence and more importantly, the position that prayer and supplication to God would eventually solve your problems and the problems of your people. So long as you were praying and leading others to pray, all was good. The simple fact is, Black people believed more in the white Jesus than white people did.

It is difficult to resolve the teachings of Jesus with the practices required to sustain a Slave culture. Beatings, lynchings, rapes, murder, paedophilia, buying and selling humanity. Breaking up families for a profit, working people literally to death are inconsistent with what Jesus taught. Yet it was from the people who did these things that Black people were given Christianity. It seems fair to wonder if white people actually read their Bible before they started passing them out?

Nevertheless, Slaves embraced Christianity. Getting some time off on Sundays no doubt has something to do with why Sunday services in Black Churches last so long. As Slaves, you didn’t want your time in church to end. When church was over it was back to the fields. Why are Black church services are so frenetic and energetic? If you’re dragging out a service, the “Massah” was bound to come to see what was taking so long. They had to make him believe that they were totally consumed with spiritual ecstasy. Convulsing on the floor in the “Spirit,” whooping and hollering were essential theatrics in making the service last as long as possible. The Slaves revered their Black preacher because he was able to work the system for their benefit.

Civil Rights Movement

Rather than dealing with us, white people as always, were much more comfortable dealing with their designated go betweens, the “Black Clergy.” You hear these code words today if you’re paying attention. How many times have you heard a pundit use this phrase whenever the subject turns to Black issues, “Black leaders say…?” Have you ever heard an issue addressed where the phrase, “White leaders” is used? “Asian leaders?” “Hispanic leaders?” The only other group where ethnic leadership is even remotely referenced are Native Americans. Native Americans also experienced near genocide at the hands of white people. Coincidence?

During the “Civil Rights Movement” it was quite natural that the prominent leaders of the movement were members of the Black Clergy. They had taken a system set in place for control of Black people and used it to defeat that very system. White people never expected the non-violent protests of Martin King, Jr. to be effective on other white people. Turn the other cheek? Really? In the face of police

Martin meets Malcom

dogs, fire hoses and billy clubs? The miracle was that it did work!

Malcom’s message of “self-reliance” and nation building caused him to be seen as a threat. Black people building their own businesses and communities, following a different religion, and by no means adopting non-violence as a code was the white man’s nightmare. In point of fact, it was the old “good cop – bad cop” approach. Malcom was preaching “By Any Means Necessary!” Martin was preaching “Passive Resistance!” Together they offered a difficult choice and posed one helluva problem! It is not surprising that both were assassinated under mysterious circumstances we have yet to reach the bottom of to this day.

Not only had white people been paying attention to the power these men wielded, Black people were paying attention too. Some coveted this power, but not to empower Black people. When power becomes an end in its self, corruption always results!

How far we’ve fallen

[KJV] II Thessalonians 2:11,12
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Today we have a proliferation of Black Clergy. In the Black community you will find a church on one corner and a liquor store on the other. Both are selling “spirits” just under a different name. Being a Black preacher is an easy route to a respected career with professional standing. It does not require a college education and the rewards can be staggering if you have the gift of gab. If you want a title? Confer one upon yourself. Print your business cards and people will begin calling you by whatever title you’ve chosen.

Black people have been conditioned from 400 plus years of slavery to need religion and to want a leader to follow. They will accept almost anyone who offers to fill that void. It is not my position that all Black Clergy have malicious intent. A good many of them are sincere and have convinced themselves that they are carrying out a “calling” on their lives.

There are two types of Black Clergy that concern me. You need to be wary of both of them. The first are purely out for financial gain. For them it’s all about the “Benjamins.” Fine house, expensive car, lifestyles of the rich and famous. They live by the 11th Commandment, “he who dies with the most toys wins!”

Bishop Harry Jackson, Jr.

The second are much more insidious and a lot more dangerous. These people quite often do have a college degree. They have a vision which they are adept at selling to their gullible followers. For them, religious faith is a tool they define and redefine in order to manipulate and control the behaviour of those in their “flocks.” What they’ve discovered is, one of the quickest ways to notoriety, financial gain and fame is to become the mouthpieces for white people whom because of the racial history of this nation, find it politically incorrect to publicly proclaim the racist stereotypes of the past.

Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson

Issues like affirmative action, welfare, “State’s Rights,” absentee fathers, children being born out of wedlock, if I put together a program wherein I dealt with these issues from the stereotypical white perspective, I could have my own radio talk show by next week. “Black people need to try harder!” “They need to apply themselves in school!” “The ‘playing field’ is now level!” Ignore the realities of poverty, red-lining, underfunded inner city schools, racial targeting by law enforcement and all the other realities that comprise the Black experience in America. Speak in support of the agenda of that segment of society composed of racist white people and they will find a platform for you to preach from. What’s more, the money will roll in.

Pastor James David Manning

We now have a crop of these shills running around like apostles to the Black community. Self-appointed and self-anointed. They’ve tailored their message to resonate with religious ideology of the Black community. If you show a Black person something written in their Bible, suddenly it has the weight of All Mighty God! Most don’t know enough about their Bibles to place the passage in context. They don’t know enough about their Bibles to know about contradicting passages. Everybody knows that God parted the “Red Sea” during the “Exodus.” What most do not know is that the actual Greek calls it a “Sea of Reeds” or a marshy place. “Red Sea” is a mistranslation.

Abortion

2000 Census Chart

This wedge issue is quite popular. Who doesn’t love babies? I had a Black preacher tell me that abortion was the “black holocaust!” She went on to say that “millions of Black babies are aborted every year!” Her point was, I shouldn’t vote for President Obama because he supported a woman’s right to choose. Fortunately, she was talking to a “critical thinker.”

2009 Incarceration Rates in the U.S.

With all those “Baby Mamas” running around, it just doesn’t seem likely that a lot of Black babies are being aborted. In point of fact, in spite of “open season” being declared on Black males by our judicial system – 40% of the 2,300,000 people in our prisons are Black – our population is actually growing. We were only 12% of the population and we’re now nearing 13%. This is in competition with all that “illegal immigration” they keep whining about. No, I really don’t think abortion is a Black problem.

Margaret Sanger Founder of Planned Parenthood

To be sure, the original plan of the “American Eugenics Movement” as imported from Nazi Germany by Margaret Sanger, was to control and reduce the population of “undesirables” in the United States. In particular, she was after the Negro race. She founded “Family Planning” – an innocuous sounding name – and “Centers” sprang up in poor, depressed minority communities all around the United States. All was good and nobody said a word.

In 1973 with the passage of Roe v. Wade, they were off to the races. Literally! All was good and going according to plan, up until the mid 1980’s when the “bean counters” did a study and discovered something appalling. More white babies were being aborted than black and other minority babies. According to their projections, white people would be a minority in the United States by the year 2050. Panic set in. Something had to be done. This is when abortion was sold to the “Religious Right” and it became “America’s Sin!” All of this was before, they became concerned with “illegal immigration.”


The Black Clergy in the timeless question of the “House Slave” were now asking, “Massah, is we sick?” Forgive my schadenfruede, but when a weapon formed against me, blows up in the face of my enemy? I am not likely to rush to his side to render aid. No Massah, we ain’t sick, but you are!

Gay marriage

This is another manufactured wedge issue. It is interesting to note, that Jesus never once said anything about homosexuality as recorded in the Gospels. How could he have made such an oversight given all the furor over homosexuality today? He could have slipped it into “The Sermon on the Mount.” How about, “Blessed are those who hate Gays, for they shall inherit a righteous society?”

Black Choir Getting Down

The facts are, Gays are essential to the Black Church. They sing in and direct the choirs. They are the musicians that play that funky gospel sound that whips the congregation into a frenzy. And yes, without them, those tithes and offerings that the Black Clergy love to reap would be significantly less. When that lovely young man with that high falsetto moves you to tears, your wallet opens. This is no longer, “Massah is we sick?” This is “Massah, you want us be sick for you?“

I fully understand people making the biblical case for morality. Although, basing morality on the Bible can be problematic. For instance, is there anybody who believes ordering the slaughter of nursing infants is moral? Perhaps this is why abortion isn’t mentioned in the Bible?

Send in the clowns

[KJV] Matthew 7:4,5
4  Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
5  Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

Since the Black Clergy has decided to interject morality into political decisions, it only seems fitting that we take a peek into their skeleton filled closets. After all, if you’re going to tell me that the person I vote for needs to be a paragon of moral virtue and hew to the values of the Christian Bible, perhaps I should take a close look at you?

Eddie Long

Eddie – somebody done somebody wrong – Long

What can you say about the disgraced pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia? He really gives those paedophile Catholic Priests a run for their money. While he stuck closely to the “letter of the law” by waiting until his prey – like fruit ripening on the vine – were of legal age, in point of fact, he began grooming them in his “Long Fellows Academy” for young men, while they were mere children.

Thus, not only do we have homosexuality, we have it with under aged children. Remember, the age of consent in Georgia is not the same for other States. Had he done the same in New York he’d be sitting behind bars for the rest of his unnatural life. Question: How much did you hear from the Black Clergy denouncing Eddie Long? Plenty of “let’s hold him up in our prayers,” not much denouncement. Evidently, the Bible applies to pastors differently?

Creflo Dollar

The Two Faces of Dr. Dollar

High Priest of Prosperity, the Reverend Doctor Creflo Dollar is not used to hearing “no.” What’s worse, when he makes a decree, not only does he expect it to be obeyed, you’d better act like you’re elated! This is particularly true if you happen to be one of his children. Evidently Dollar’s 15 year old daughter had been planning on going to a party over the weekend. Dollar told her that because of her grades, she could not attend the party as she’d been planning. So far, I have no problem with this. I’d even go so far as to call this good parenting. We need more of it.

What happened next was entirely uncalled for. Not just by any parent, but especially in the case of a “man of God.” When his daughter turned and walked into the next room crying, this enraged Dollar. He followed her and according to the police reports, slapped her and assaulted her. Really? What should a disappointed 15 year old girl have done differently?

Did you hear any of the Black Clergy weigh in on this? I didn’t. The Bible is full of aphorisms on how we ought to conduct ourselves. “Do violence to no man” comes to mind.

Noel Jones

Bishop Noel Jones and “Baby Mama” Stacy Francis from the X-Factor

Yet another Pentecostal Bishop and pastor of a mega-church seems to have a problem keeping his pants zipped. The Bible is quite clear about sex outside of marriage. Fornication, adultery, lying, murder and idolatry – worshipping money? – are all sins that will send you to the same Hell. There is no “Hell-lite” for lessor sins. Every sin gets the same treatment according to the Bible.

Charismatic Bishop Noel Jones has used his fame to gain access to women who were vulnerable and seeking spiritual advice. Under the doctrine of “fair exchange being no robbery,” while he was ministering to their spiritual needs, they were ministering to his physical needs. Every so often there is a “parting gift.” “X-Factor Star,” Stacy Francis received just such a gift. She now has the select distinction of being Noel Jones’ “Baby Mama.” Have you heard any of the Black Clergy speak out on this? I haven’t.

Jamal Bryant

Jamal – I love my Bentley – Bryant

Following in the footsteps of his betters, Jamal Harrison Bryant is yet another example of mega-church pastor who cannot seem to keep his private parts out of his cash drawer. It must be painful. I know it was painful for his wife. She’s sitting on the front pew as the “first lady” and the 17 year old girl her husband is sleeping with is sitting on a pew behind her. How much is enough? Money, fame, beautiful wife and you’re looking over your wife’s shoulders at your next score. Have you heard any of the Black Clergy speak out against this? Nope! Silence so deafening you can hear a pin drop.

Zachary Tims

Zachary Tims

While I’d never speak ill of the dead – well, I would under certain circumstances – it is quite common for the untimely ends of famous people to work their way into sermons as a “cautionary tale. “We now turn to rising evangelical star, Zachary Tims. Mega-church pastor, young, attractive, frequent spots on the “TBN Network,” it all came crashing down when he was found dead in a hotel in New York on August 12, 2011. He was found on the floor with a packet of white powder in the pocket of his shorts.

While the family successfully went to court to keep the toxicology reports sealed until 2013, the evidence is fairly obvious. Police are wondering if there may have been a sexual encounter? Once again, I have not heard so much as a peep from the Black Clergy.

[KJV] I Peter 4:17 
For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?

My message to all those Black Preachers who have suddenly discovered their moral fortitude? Before you conflate the job of President of these United States with being “Pastor in Chief,” get the skeletons out of your own damn closets! I can’t hear you over the tremendous din from all those bones rattling around.

Nu Jack Slavery – The Prison Industrial Complex

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Capitalist no longer recruit and pay their labor force… They have them arrested!

“Don’t tell me what you value. Show me your budget and I’ll tell you what you value!” __Joe Biden

Years ago I was told how to cook a frog. I’ve never eaten one, however I filed that information away with all the other trivia neatly catalogued in my head. The trick is you do not toss a frog into boiling water. It seems that frogs take objection to this and will hop right out of the pot. The trick is you put the frog into cold water and slowly turn up the heat. The frog swims contentedly until it’s too late and he’s cooked.

It seems this method also works on us humans. I am amused by those people who have boosted gun sales and thus the profits of the firearms industry to record levels. “It’s coming!” “Any day now!” “I can feel it, you’d better get ready!” They’re stocking up on guns and ammunition. Some are storing food and water all preparing for the apocalypse they see just over their horizon. “President Obama is coming for our guns!” The facts are, under President Obama you now have more “2nd Amendment” protections than under any other President in recent history. President Obama is the first President whom I’ve heard state in public and on the record that he believed the 2nd Amendment applied to the individual and not a State militia. Under President Obama you may now go armed in our National Parks. You probably missed that one didn’t you?

Predator Drone in action

The United States government is not in the least worried about it’s citizenry being armed. Ask the Taliban. Ask the rebels in Afghanistan. Unless you’re packing something that can shoot down a “Predator Drone,” you and your group are not a threat. My advice? Don’t pick a fight where there isn’t any. Whatever you may think about the government, it is here to protect you and provide for the common welfare.

Know Your Enemy

“It is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles…” Sun Tzu (Art of War)

The problem is not our government but the corporate interests who’ve been busy buying it. When they asked Benjamin Franklin what they’d arrived at as he was leaving “Independence Hall” at the close of the “Constitutional Convention,” his reply was, “a Republic if you can keep it.” I cannot help but wonder if old Ben might not have seen this coming? Someone said that a Democracy will only last as long as it takes the people to realize they can vote themselves money out of the public treasury. Having a Republic guards against that. Yet, there are techniques to pick the lock on the treasury vault under a Republic. Buy off the Representatives and the heads of the various branches of government. Corporations have been doing just that for all their worth!

Jack Abramoff

If you do not like a law, which is easier? Mounting a campaign and stirring up public sentiment to get that law changed? Or, identifying key legislators and buying them off? I’m sure we already know the answer.

Time for a quick refresher course on our philosophy of government. Man is endowed by the Creator with certain unalienable rights. I’m sure you’ve heard that somewhere before. We do not have a King claiming divine right of rule. Thus, each citizen gives up a portion of their power and grants our government some of our God given rights to rule over us. This is where the power of Government stems from. It comes from you, me, us individuals granting to our Government a portion of our power to use that power for the betterment of our society. This is why we say we have a government, “for the people, of the people and by the people.” That is how it is supposed to work in theory.

Corporations have been busy subverting this for nearly as long as they’ve been around. One such example is our Prison Industrial Complex. The following 5 minute video highlights an extremely disturbing trend.

When a person violates our laws, the offence is considered to be against all of us collectively. Depending on the crime or infraction, it can also be against individuals. When they are punished we the people are collectively punishing them.

This poses a sticky question. When our prison system becomes a for-profit industry, hasn’t the doctrine of the collective will of the people been violated? A State run prison is an instrument of the people. If you escape it, you’re subverting the collective will. However, should you escape a corporate prison, it seems to me that is something quite a bit different.

The Forgotten Men

Privatizing prisons has become an extremely profitable international industry. With the down turn in our economy, bottom feeders have found a booming business. America’s largest private incarceration corporation – Corrections Corporation of America – has made an offer to the States. They will buy up their cash strapped penitentiaries and run them at a cost savings. There is however one catch. The States must guarantee a 90% occupancy. Think about this for a moment. How do you guarantee a 90% occupancy? What would you do if you found yourself falling short?

Are you feeling the temperature rise? Perhaps your swimming pool has merely become a hot tub? Nothing to worry about. Kick back and relax. What this does is create a monetary incentive for police officers to make more arrests, even in speculative circumstances. It creates incentives for corruption, the planting of evidence, the manufacturing of charges. It creates a bias in the court for judges to not only find you guilty, but to give you the longest sentence possible under the law. No leniency for first time offenders. Is this what we want?

The adage of, “well, you shouldn’t have done it in the first place,” really needs to be examined. Most cases do not go to trial. They’re settled by “plea agreement.” Yes, I understand you saying in the comfort of your Den, sitting at your computer, “well, I’d never take a plea.” Trouble is, when they come after you, they can make that plea look awfully appealing. Let’s say you were driving home one night through a construction zone. There are a lot of those around these days. I’m sure you’ve seen the signs that give out the increased penalties and fines in these zones.

Back Room Deals. Public Consequences

Let’s further say, they ended construction in a zone near your home but hadn’t gotten around to taking those signs down. Where I live there are quite a few deer. So, one night on your way home, “Bambi” jumps out. Reflexively you swerve to avoid the deer and clip a car in the on-coming lane. It spins out and someone is severely injured. The deer goes on about it’s merry way. You are the only one who saw the deer. The police estimate your speed at being 10 miles over the speed limit and they arrest you and file charges. Why? They’ve got a cash incentive. The prosecutor and the judge also have a cash incentive. The prosecutor tells your attorney he’s going for the 8 year maximum. Personal injury in a construction zone. They’ll offer you a 4 year plea deal. Do 4, get a day for a day and you’ll be out in 2 years. How’s it sounding now? Do you roll the dice? If you lose you’ll be in for 8 years. The judge also has an incentive to find you guilty.

Your wife or husband? They want you back as soon as possible. You’ve just lost your job. They’re not going to hold it while you’re in prison. Your attorney is not working for free. Or did you go with a Public Defender? You never thought it would come to this but here you are.

SLAVERY

Nu Jack Slavery

How exactly does a private firm run a prison at a cost savings? They view the inmates as a labor force. You would be surprised at how many of the goods and services you use are provided by prison labor. Telemarketing is now done at some prisons. Think about that the next time you buy something over the phone. You may have just given your credit card information to a prison inmate. Corporations simply love it because if their product can be assembled by prisoners, they don’t have to pay minimum wage or supply benefits. Their profit margin increases. Corrections Corporation of America gets their cut and profits are made off of the injustice of destroying innocent lives. Nowhere but in America!

Smell something cooking? Might be you! We are silly enough to actually pay what we call “Legislators” to do nothing but pass laws. More and more laws are going on the books. You cannot make it through your day without breaking numerous laws. Most are obscure and unknown but should they want to get you, those laws exists as tools for them to use.

The drug war will go on even though off the record, everybody knows the solution is decriminalization. If you decriminalized drugs and took the money out of them, the drug industry would dry up within a couple of months. The violence would stop and society would be a much safer place. If everybody knows this, why then does it continue? Because the State also profits off of the drug war. Most of the people in prison are non-violent offenders. The perfect employees for the Prison Industrial Complex.

Should we tax churches?

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A Crystal Cathedral?

by Benjamin T. Moore, Jr.

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” First Amendment – U.S. Constitution

From this “Amendment” the entire doctrine of the separation between Church and State is drawn. Read it carefully. It says nothing about taxation. It also mentions the “Press.” If one may infer a tax exempt status for Churches, based on this Amendment, Fox News, MSNBC, The New York Times et al, should also get in line for their tax exempt statuses.

Historically, churches being exempt from taxation goes all the way back to the Roman Emperor Constantine. Following his conversion to Christianity it is said he exempted all Christian churches from taxation. This practice continued through the middle ages largely because it was believed the work churches did in caring for the poor and needy relieved the burden on the government. Back then, this was probably a valid assumption.

From the founding of this Nation, churches were not taxed and received a formal exemption from taxation in 1894. Prior to this no less than three Presidents, Madison, Garfield and Grant had called for taxing churches pointing out that by the early 1900’s these tax exemptions had cost the American taxpayer 1 billion dollars. Imagine what that has grown to today.

When people and institutions do not pay their fare share, be they the 1% or multi-billion dollar, international corporations like GE, the taxpayer is footing the costs. The common roads, the infrastructure, emergency services are not free. The taxes these institutions are not paying get defrayed amongst those who are paying. Put another way, your taxes are increased by some percentage because of loopholes, tax evasion or unmerited tax exemptions our government grants to various institutions.

[KJV] Philippians 2:7 
But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

When it comes to churches, things have gotten out of hand. Rather

Paula White’s Rolls Royce in front of her Italian home

than following in the footsteps of Jesus, pastors are emulating the titans of corporate greed. They do not measure their success by how many people they help or how many lives they make better, wealth = success. Not just wealth, but conspicuous wealth. As a rule, Americans have no problem with wealth. If you’ve been extremely successful financially, more power to you. However, how you make that wealth does make a difference.  For instance, we have no problem with the financial success of a Bill Gates, a Warren Buffett or a Steve Jobs. However, we do take issue with the head of a Columbian drug cartel’s opulent lifestyle. Why? Because he makes his wealth off the misery, death and destruction of people who are addicted to a product that is killing them and destroying their lives and the communities in which they live.

Coronation of Eddie Long

But preachers are not drug dealers! Let’s examine this. Religion has indeed become a product which is being marketed to the public. Like insurance, it is sold to you as an “Eternal Assurance Policy.” It is an intangible product. You cannot touch it, taste it or smell it. It makes you feel a certain way to be sure. However, you do not know if what you’ve paid for is real until after you die. No customer has ever been able to return and ask for a refund. Not from any church. Not from any denomination. They cannot all be right. Thus, some groups must be in error and those who embraced those faiths surely must have gotten their feelings hurt once they crossed into the afterlife. Everybody cannot be right. Somebody has to be wrong. If everybody is right, What’s the point in having different denominations?

While there are faith based charitable organizations that actually do

make a difference such as, “The Salvation Army,” “World Vision,”

Creflo Dollar’s Private Jet

“Bread for the World,” compared to proliferation of “mega-Churches,” these organizations are a drop in the bucket. Mega-Churches and their pastors have become profit driven silos of greed. If the pastor has a Rolls Royce… or two, a private jet, a multi-million dollar estate, I’m going to want to see an even greater investment in programs designed to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless and care for the sick.

One of Paula White’s Homes

When the housing market was in full meltdown mode and home foreclosures were spiralling out of control. The members of these mega-churches were hit as hard as everyone else. You did not hear any news stories suggesting that those who tithed, donated and supported the lavish lifestyles of their pastors were somehow blessed or exempt from the economic chaos facing secular society. Something else you did not hear was, how any of these mega-churches came to the rescue of their struggling parishioners. You did not hear about churches stepping up to help those who’d donated thousands of dollars over the years, keep their homes.  If these wealthy mega-churches did not rise to the occasion and help their own members, what type of commitment do they have to social programs that feed, clothe and shelter those who are unable to donate to their operations?

Separation is a two-way street

“Good fences make good neighbours.” __Robert Frost

If you don’t want me getting into your business, stay the hell out of mine! Over the past few decades we’ve seen an exponential growth in church activism. No longer is it enough for them to preach and promote their doctrines to their congregations or to those who choose to tune into them over the airwaves. Now they are bent on seizing the legislative power of government to force people who do not subscribe to their views, to live by those views. Now we have a problem.

They tested the water years ago with what are known as “blue laws.” In many States across this nation you cannot buy liquor on Sundays. The secular public has by and large accommodated this nonsense. We just buy our liquor on Saturday. Annoying? Yes, but in most places, not annoying enough to mount a campaign to change the law. Emboldened by the apparent apathy of secular society they’ve now decided to flex their muscles and  not just weigh in on various issues, but are donating money and motivating their parishioners to take sometimes violent action in an effort to force society to conform to church dogma.

Murdered in Church

While one might argue that church membership makes a prima facie case for mental instability, certainly telling unstable parishioners that doctors who perform abortions are murderers is tantamount to loading the gun, putting it in their hand and pointing them in the direction of the nearest abortion services clinic with a blessing from God. Once reason and rationality is replaced with self-righteous faith, the surrealistic irony cannot be grasped by the misguided missiles they’ve released. If abortion is murder and murder is forbidden by God, then murdering an abortion provider makes you just as deserving of God’s judgement as the person you’re murdering.

There is also the oxymoron of promoting an omnipotent God who is involved in all aspects of human affairs but whom for some reason needs and requires human beings to do his dirty work. If God wants someone dead, why does he need me, you or anyone else to kill them for him? Couldn’t God simply take their next breath? Their next heartbeat? How is this any different than some radical Islamic Imam convincing his followers to strap on a bomb vest and go detonate themselves so they can enter paradise? If the Imam truly believed his message, he wouldn’t be present to deliver it because he would have already blown himself into paradise.

Mormons rally against Prop-8

Abortion is not the only issue churches want to weigh in on. They also have taken an issue with what we do in the privacy of our homes and in our private relationships. Irony of ironies the Mormon church actually donated millions of dollars to defeat “Prop-8” in California. A group who’s hallmark was redefining “Marriage” fought tooth and fang to prevent the redefining of marriage. It is difficult to imagine the level of delusion necessary to make sense of group who’s very tenets of faith originally taught that men must have multiple wives in order to enter heaven, forming their mouths to defend “traditional marriage.” Surely their lips must have split!

It is one thing to promote the tenets of one’s faith to those who have embraced that faith. It is quite another to mobilize and attempt to enact laws to force the rest of society to conform to your particular brand of religion.

Christian Terrorism

Terry Jones promoting burning of Qur’ans

What happens when promoting your twisted theology causes the deaths of American Service Personnel? In 2010 Nit-Wit Florida pastor Terry Jones thought it would be a dandy idea to promote what he called, “Burn a Qur’an Day.” Because – possibly by design – this message made it on to YouTube and around the Internet, it was eventually seen in Islamic countries where American forces are stationed. As you might expect, Muslim fundamentalist were not too pleased with this idea. The result? Embassies were attacked and people died. 20 in just one attack in Afghanistan. Good idea? Not if your son or daughter is currently stationed over there.

How much did this cost the U.S. Taxpayer? I do not know. If it was your child that got killed because of this, what price would you place on his or her life? Security at American Embassies had to be increased. Battle groups were moved into the area. Air support was increased and you and I had to foot the bill through increased taxes. Didn’t notice your taxes go up? When money is directed away from the services you are receiving, you’re getting less for what you’ve paid. This amounts to an increase in the cost of what you’re paying for.

Children being raised to hate

If this weren’t enough, to add insult to injury – literally – upon trying to bury our sons and daughters who gave their last measure of devotion, families have had to contend with the shenanigans of Fred Phelps and his Westboro Baptist Church. They literally bussed people to the graveside services of our fallen soldiers to picket the ceremonies by hurling such epithets as “God Hates Fags” and “We’re Glad Your Dead.” Of course the sexual orientation of the fallen is never considered. Doesn’t matter that our dead sons and daughters were straight. The fact they serve in our military which – through no fault of their own – no longer discriminates on the basis of race, gender or sexual orientation, is enough. If you don’t hate “Fags” as much as Fred Phelps, you’re just as guilty and on your way to hell too!

Church and taxation – the facts

When we exempt churches from paying taxes, we the taxpayers are

Creflo Dollar’s Estate

giving them free money. We have done this under the aegis that they would use these benefits for the betterment of society and in fulfilling the philosophical mission of the historical Jesus. Clearly this has not been the case. Not only have they grown fat from the largesse of the  American tax payer, they are now using this wealth to socially engineer society back to the medieval period we refer to as the “Dark Ages.”

Not long ago I had a preacher tell me to “stay in my lane.” I promptly informed her that as a devout Agnostic I have no lane. Clearly she had forgotten we were not in her church and she was not in her pulpit. What had led to our interaction was her spouting her inability to vote for President Obama because of religious reasons. She didn’t like the fact that he was not willing to break his oath to uphold the Constitution and thought he ought to ban abortions by an “executive order.”

Of course the fact that the other candidate is a bishop in a church that teaches that God has endless celestial sex with his thousands of wives, made her no never mind. The belief that Jesus and Lucifer are brothers? Hardly even a speed bump. When I pointed out these flagrant contradictions to the faith she claims to hold, she quickly switched to the “Gay Marriage” issue. She is not an unintelligent woman which is why I did not let her off the hook. We are not electing the titular head of a religious institution. The United States is not a theocracy. Although the President when taking the “Oath of Office” placed his hand atop a Bible, he did so while affirming his obligation to uphold the Constitution of the United States.

Provision in the Constitution ensure equal rights and equal protections under our laws. There are no exceptions for race, creed, gender or sexual orientation. These people will cry loudly and spare not when it comes to the evils and corruption of our government yet in the same breath want our government to intrude it’s self into our most intimate and private moments.

It was not lost on me that this was one of those pastors who owns a $200 thousand dollar automobile and resides in a multi-million dollar estate. It was then I had my epiphany! She was not voting her religious convictions, she was voting her own economic interests. Understandable except for the part where she was using her office to persuade others barely scraping by, to vote in lock step with her under the guise of the issues being religious in nature.

We take a dim view of this type of behaviour which is why official political commercials always have the phrase, “I (candidate’s name) approve of this message.” This is to let those hearing the commercial know who is behind the commercial and what their biases may be. If churches want to get involved in government, they need to stop pretending and pay their taxes like every other institution.

I’ll be fair. If they can show conclusively that they’ve given to their communities in actual dollar value the amount they would be assessed in taxes, we can allow them to write off those taxes against their contributions. I suspect we won’t have nearly as many oversized, expensive churches surrounding by low income housing.

You Might Be Following A Judas Goat

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At the slaughter house where sheep are processed, there is a goat

The Judas Goat at Work.

known as “The Judas Goat.” The Judas Goat’s job is to lead groups of sheep into the slaughter house where they are killed. Sheep have the peculiar habit of following any member of their herd who seems to know where to go. The Judas Goat is placed within the herd. It grazes with the herd, rubs shoulders with the herd and in all respects acts as though it is one of the herd. It is accepted by the herd. At the appointed time, it leads the herd to the slaughter. To be sure, eventually the Judas Goat will end up on a spit slowly roasting over the fires at a Greek restaurant being carved up for gyros. However, that is small consolation for all the sheep who willingly followed in his treacherous footsteps.

It seems the work of the Judas Goat is so effective it has been adapted to work on people. Just look around. During the last Presidential primaries, when Barack Obama was running against Hillary Clinton, Black pundits began pouring out of the woodwork in support of Hillary Clinton. Tavis Smiley embarrassed himself to the point he has not yet recovered. His purpose? To lead Black voters into the Clinton camp. At a time when all Black people should have rallied around one of their own, suddenly we were inundated with Black leaders – whom we had not elected – filling the airways to share their opinionated wisdom.

The networks dusted off faces I hadn’t seen in years. For a season, diversity was back on our televisions. This time it wasn’t “sit-coms.” Almost any network you watched, you could be sure of seeing several Black faces giving articulate opinions about the day’s events. I found it to be a refreshing change. However, it was not lost on me that over half of my newly discovered brothers and sisters were being used to further an agenda that was not my own. Obama won because of racism. Not the racism of Black people, we only make up 12% of the population. Obama won because of the racism of white people. The Republican war machine was all geared up to face Hillary Clinton. They had attack ads sitting on the shelf ready to go. They just knew Hillary Clinton would be whom they’d be facing in the general election.  After all, what were the odds that a relative unknown – dark horse literally – with a funny sounding name like Barack Hussein Obama would win in the primaries against the Clinton political machine? Did I mention that he’s Black? This is the United States of America founded on a history of Slavery. As far as they were concerned, there wasn’t a chance in the world he could win. They were caught flat footed with their britches around their ankles.

With the election of President Obama, the Republicans decided they needed their own magic Black man. Of course, from their racist perspective, we’re all the same. To this end, they elected Michael Steele and we all know how that’s turned out for them. In two words, NOT WELL! Nevertheless, Michael Steele is a Judas Goat. His primary purpose is to lead Black people away from President Obama. There is nothing in the Republican platform that benefits Black people, other minorities or poor White people. As a matter of fact, if you do not have a net worth of at least 3 million dollars and an income in the high 6 figures, the Republican party doesn’t represent you. But I digress.

Judas Goats are pervasive in our society. Most commercials and ads contain Judas Goats. From the kindly old couple sitting around the table discussing health care myths, to the 3 hicks sitting in a diner sharing their opinions on high level economic issues. They all have one purpose and that is to lead people to vote against their own interests. Judas Goats may even be in your church pulpit.

Knowing how to recognize a Judas Goat is necessary for your survival. It always ends poorly for those who follow Judas Goats. Being informed is of paramount importance. The first thing you need to know is where your best interests lie. I am amazed at how many people have been deceived into supporting Republican tax polices. Most of these people, comparatively speaking, aren’t really paying any taxes. The simple facts are, the poorer you are, the more you tend to rely on the goods and services provided by tax dollars. Poor people are more likely to live in high crime areas. They are more likely to have homes who’s wiring is such that fires are likely. They often drive vehicles that don’t get around well in the snow, so they need their streets plowed. Those who do drive pick-up trucks often live in rural areas where even with 4 wheel drive, plowing the roads is still necessary. The poor quite often have little to no health insurance, so their primary care physician is whomever is the first doctor they see at the emergency room. Yet, because they’ve been duped into following a Judas Goat, you see them at “Tea Party” rallies railing against the very policies designed to benefit them the most. It would be hilarious if it weren’t so tragic.

When it comes to the church, particularly in the Black community, you have multi-million dollar edifices built and sustained by congregations who’s median incomes are barely above the poverty level. If you’re in a church and you know members in good standing who’s homes have been foreclosed on, and the church didn’t come to their aid, you’re probably following a Judas Goat. If your pastor lives in another county from the church because that is where the high dollar real estate is, you’re probably following a Judas Goat. If on Sunday morning, you can pick out the pastor’s car not just because of the monogrammed parking spot, but because it is the most expensive car on the lot, you’re probably following a Judas Goat. If in order for you to be a member or your church, you have to submit copies of your W-2 form, you’re following a Judas Goat. If the deacons, trustees, elders and auxiliary heads of your church also happen to be the most financially successful members of the church, you’re following a Judas Goat. If your pastor has to have an entourage of “armor bearers” doing everything from carrying his /her brief case to helping them dress, you’re following a Judas Goat. If you’ve been contributing to the building fund for the past 10 years and the church hasn’t built a thing, you’re following a Judas Goat. It might be time for you to come up out of the slaughter house.

God gave you a brain and the gift of reason. Don’t insult God by not using your gifts. Don’t just ask yourself what would Jesus do? Ask yourself, what would LOVE DO! The Bible says, “your bodies are the temple of God.” It also says that God does not dwell in temples made by men’s hands. The church was intended to be God’s store house for the benefit of the people in their time of need. It was never intended to be the private game preserve of a pastor or his ministerial staff. The trouble is, most ministries benefit the pastor and the church more than they benefit the community.

I have an acquaintance whom prior to the crash of he housing market, was making in excess of 300 thousand dollars a year. He was a devoted and faithful member at his church. He was a devout tither. This of course put him in line to be an official at his church. For over 5 years he tithed in excess of 30 thousand a year. This doesn’t include offerings and other monetary contributions. When the housing market crashed, he lost everything. He was married with two small children. The bank repossessed his Mercedes and his BMW. He needed 5 thousand dollars to save his home. He went to his pastor and explained the situation to him. He told him of his need. He had no one else to turn to. All he needed was 5 thousand dollars. This was the same church that over the course of the previous 5 years he’d given over 150 thousand dollars. What do you think the pastor did? The pastor told him that he would pray with he and his wife that God would deliver them. They lost their home. He had to move in with his mother-in-law. Because of he stress on the marriage he wound up getting divorced. Do you think he’d been following a Judas Goat? Well, he certainly got slaughtered.

Wherefore Art Thou, Mitt Romney?

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92 Year Old World War II Veteran, Ralph Maxwell Reads a Poem He Wrote for Mitt Romney. (text of the poem is below the video)

WHEREFORE ART THOU, MITT ROMNEY?

By Ralph Maxwell

O, Romney-O, Romney-O, Wherefore art thou, Mitt Romney?
You flip-flop here, you flip-flop there,
You flip-flop almost ev’rywhere.
You ballyhoo what you’re gonna do
And then you pull a switcheroo;
You now malign what you found fine;
Seems like you’ve got a jellyfish spine.
Obamacare, by you begun,
Now you’d trash it on day one.
Gun control you did extol,
But now you’re preaching decontrol.

O, Romney-O, Romney-O, Wherefore art thou, Mitt Romney?
We’ve got no clue what you will do
Or what new view you’ll pander to.
Time was you championed women’s choice,
But you no longer heed their voice;
On gay rights, too, guess you withdrew
Support they once enjoyed from you.
Global warming, EPA,
Immigration, minimum pay,
Roe V. Wade, also fair trade,
All joined your flip-flop cavalcade.

O, Romney-O, Romney-O Wherefore art thou, Mitt Romney?
So many things that you were for
You’ve turned against and slammed the door.
Stimulus and cap and trade,
Education, foreign aid,
Campaign reform, tarp rescues, too,
All victims of your switcheroo.
You take your stand on shifting sand,
We never know where you will land;
You vacillate, and you fabricate,
A wishy-washy candidate.

O, Romney-O, Romney-O, Wherefore art thou Mitt Romney?
As gov’nor you let taxes rise,
Now ev’ry tax you demonize.
You say regardless of the facts
You’d take an axe to the millionaire’s tax;
You’d feed the greed of the richest few
The poor and middle class you’d screw.
Your tax returns you hide from view
What evil lurks there we’ve no clue;
If they’re not bad why hesitate?
Is it that they incriminate?

O, Romney-O, Romney-O, Wherefore art thou Mitt Romney?
At Bain you plundered with a flair
And walked away a zillionaire.
You shipped off-shore, good jobs galore
To China, India, Singapore;
A job creator you are not.
And to boast you are is tommyrot.
As a total fraud, Mitt’s got no peer;
What we must do is crystal clear:
Let’s give Obama four more years!
Yes, it’s Obama – four more years!
FOUR MORE YEARS!
FOUR MORE YEARS!
FOUR MORE YEARS!

Originally posted to hungrycoyote on Sat Aug 18, 2012 at 12:44 PM PDT.
Also republished by Indigo Kalliope.

Found on “The Daily Kos.”

The Arrogance of being President while being Black

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This was forwarded to me by my sister. After reading it, I thought this an appropriate forum to share this in. Like the person who first began forwarding this, it speaks the sentiments of my heart as well. Since the author is unknown, feel free to share it if you agree.

 

I don’t think anyone was under some real illusion that the election of Barack Obama actually means the end of racism in America . I’m pretty sure that the president-elect knew it better than anyone. After all, he saw it every day, from the moment he announced his candidacy. To some degree, he saw it within his own party during the primaries. And he saw it in all ugliness during the general election. For half of this country, he was “That One”. No matter how big and clear his victory was. No matter how smart he is. No matter how decent he is. No matter what a true patriot he is. No matter how optimistic and positive his vision for America was. All that didn’t matter. Because at the end of the day, he was still black.

I’m quite old. I remember, vaguely, where my parents were on November 22, 1963. I’ve seen so many presidents. Some were feared, some were hated, some were adored, some popular and some not. But all of them, without exception, were treated with the highest respect deserving the office of the president of the United States .

That is until a black man won the right to occupy this office. It’s been 13 months now, and in the eyes of so many, Barack Obama is still that one. He is being disrespected and at the same time being held to the highest standard of any president I’ve ever seen – and not just by the Republican side! He has to perform three times better than any president in history, and even that may not be enough.

For the media, he is many more times just “Obama” than “President Obama”. They create scandals out of nothing issues. It took them at least 6 years to start giving Bush a small part of the shit he deserved. It took them 6 months to begin crap all over Obama because he’s yet to fix the catastrophe that was left for him.

They use condescending tones when they talk about him, and only mildly less condescending when they talk TO him. With anyone else, CNN wouldn’t dare go to commercials every time the president speaks, like they did during that summit on Thursday. They wouldn’t dare be counting how many minutes George Bush or Bill Clinton were talking. Chris Mathews wouldn’t dare make an issue out of Ronald Regan calling members of congress by their first name, like he is not actually the president. They fully cooperate with the Right-Wing smear machine when it comes to president Obama’s national security performance – even if almost every independent and military expert actually thinks that he’s a terrific Commander-in-Chief. You’ll never see them on TV, and virtually no one from the Left, in congress and outside, defend the president on this matter.

I don’t care about the Far-Right. They’re just crazy ignorant Neanderthals. It’s the way the beltway and the mainstream treats this president that is shocking. On Thursday, almost every Republican had no trouble interrupting him in the middle of a sentence. They looked like they’re going to vomit every time they had to say “Mr. president”. They all had this Eric-Cantor-Smirk whenever he spoke. Then they went out and started to spit their stupid talking points, to the delight of the media. Sarah Palin, a woman who can hardly read, thinks that he was “arrogant” towards John McCain, and somehow this is an important news. Because you see, “Obama’s Arrogance” is the talking point of the day.

Oh, those talking points. He is arrogant (because he knows the facts better than all of them combined). He is an elitist (because he uses big words that they don’t understand). He is weak on national security (because he actually thinks about the consequences). He divides the country (well, he did that the day he had the audacity to win the election). Worst of all, he actually thinks that he’s the president. He even dared to say so on Thursday. How arrogant of him. You’d think that previous presidents didn’t have any ego. Somehow it turned out that the one president who treats even his biggest opponents with the utmost respect – is the arrogant one. I wonder why?

I expected that his winning the Presidency would bring out some ugliness, but it’s been far worse than I imagined. The racism coming from the Right is obviously clear and shameless, but there’s also some hidden and maybe subconscious and disturbing underline tone behind some of the things that I read here and throughout the Left blogosphere, even before the end of Obama’s first year – ‘He’s weak, he’s spineless, he’s got no balls, primary him in 2012’. It’ll be dishonest to deny that.

The fact is that for millions in America , Barack Obama is this uppity black man (Not even a “real” black), who received good education only due to affirmative action, and has no right to litter the sacred Oval Office with his skin color. They just can’t accept the fact that the president is a black man, who unlike his predecessor, was actually legally elected. But what’s really sad is that it’s not just the fringe, its deep deep in mainstream America .

Barack Obama’s ability to remain above all this slob, to keep his optimism and his strange and mostly unjustified faith in people, while continuing to gracefully deal with an endless shitstorm – is one of the most inspiring displays of human quality I have ever seen. And I can only hope that the Cosmos is on his side because God is and He never makes a mistake.

Sometimes, they make me feel ashamed to be a white man!!

 

Founding Fathers?

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Founding Fathers

The “Founding Fathers” have pretty much gained “rock star” popularity these days. One might believe them to be the patron saints of the Republican party and authors of the conservative movement considering the frequency with which they’re invoked at their events. Misrepresented and misquoted it’s no wonder they’re deified. We’ve lost all perspective on whom they really were.

Perhaps a bit of a refresher is in order?

Thomas Jefferson – He was the only president who could read and understand Newton’s “Principia.”

Benjamin Franklin – He is credited with developing the science of electricity.

John Adams – He had the finest education that this new country could provide. Including “Pnewmaticks, Hydrostaticks, Mechanicks, Staticks, Opticks.”

James Madison – Chief Architect of the Constitution, peppered his “Federalist Papers” with references to physics, chemistry and the life sciences.

Most of these men spoke multiple languages. They were learned men who valued education and philosophy. They were well read and well traveled. They were not religious although they were comfortable with there being an architect to the Universe.

They were human beings who suffered from all the foibles humans do. Some owned slaves, some had extra-marital affairs. They drank, smoked marijuana – hemp – committed fornication and adultery and in their spare time, forged a nation that had the foundation to become truly great.

They valued education. Not just institutionalized education, but an education that comes from research and experimentation. An education that came from travel and experience. They were the experts in mathematics, science and philosophy of their times. They were not only literate, they were effective orators and communicators.

As I look around at the Republican field, I simply cannot imagine the “Founding Fathers” giving any of these yahoos the time of day! Can you even name a Republican who could sit at the table with the Founding Fathers and hold an intelligent conversation? I cannot. Our President could.

Truth be told, if I were to get on an ocean liner and discover that any one of the current field of Republican candidates was the captain of the ship, I’d have to disembark immediately! I distinctly recall what happened to the Titanic. It had a good captain. However, the business interests involved, designer of the ship, head of the White Star Lines, overruled the advice of the captain and insisted on recklessly going for a record breaking Atlantic transit. We know how that turned out.

What’s good for business, isn’t necessarily good for the customers/passengers trapped on the ship. A record breaking transit would have been great for business. If you have the fastest ship, you can command higher rates. If you have the fastest ship, you’re going to corner the shipping market. There was nothing wrong with their goals and objectives from a business perspective. Their greed for profits caused them to lose sight of risks, what was best for the passengers and ignore the advice of an experienced captain. We all paid dearly for their greed.

Today we are all like passengers on a ship. Who’s running the ship matters. Who is at the helm, matters! When my life is on the line – and all our lives are – I want the people in charge to be experts. I want them to be well read. I want them to be masters of navigation. I want them to know the waters. I want them to be able to chart a course through treacherous waters.

Invoking the “Founding Fathers” is nice. However, if you’re not even close to being in the same class with them, it’s only a rhetorical flourish. The Founding Fathers were not just about the right to bear arms or make a profit or protecting business’ right to rape the resources of this nation. They were PROGRESSIVES. They were not conservatives. They were about building infrastructure. They were about education. They were not against taxes. they were against taxation *without* representation! They were not about suppressing the vote. They were about expanding the vote.

If the Founding Fathers were here today, they’d be insulted every time they were invoked by the current Republican party. When the Republican party takes steps to suppress a certain demographic from voting, note, they are not trying to stop that same demographic from paying taxes. They want them to pay their taxes. Vote? Not so much. This is the very definition of taxation without representation.

Where the Founding Fathers were trying to build up a nation and make it stronger, the Republican party is in bed with and having a jolly good time with corporations that are moving jobs out of this country. Where the Founding Fathers were men who valued education, the Republican party is doing everything they can to cut funding for education.

Let me take a look at your budget and I’ll tell you what you value. When I see you pouring money into our military industrial complex… even to the point of funding projects the Pentagon says it neither needs nor wants, it is clear you value war. When you cut the programs that support and care for our troops, it is clear that you do not value them or their service and view them as disposable, replaceable slaves who’s only purpose is to generate a profit.

It is a fact that a person with a college education makes significantly more money over the course of their lifetime and career. This means they pay more in taxes. The quickest way to generate revenue would be to make it as easy as possible for everybody to obtain a college degree.

The Founding Fathers knew that the true resources and wealth of this nation are the minds of it’s people. The Republicans have no concept of this. Where innovation is absent, stagnation occurs. Stagnation leads to death. It always has. Bill Gates and Steve Jobs created new technologies. They were able to do this because they were well educated. Steve Jobs is dead. Bill Gates has retired. Who is out there to fill their shoes? Who is out their to create the next new technology? As education is cut, that pool of potential recedes and dries up.

The corporations of today may not be the corporations of tomorrow. The industries of today were inconceivable two hundred years ago. It’s called “progress.” Sometimes the pursuit of progress is incompatible with profits. Where is the profit for an individual corporation in building a bridge across the Mississippi? Yet, once that bridge is built, trade can increase and profits follow. Somebody has to build that bridge. Where is the profit for a corporation in building a community? Yet, once that community is built, they have a ready workforce.

Moving jobs overseas may increase a corporations profitability in the short term, but who is going to buy their products in the long term? They have forgotten the philosophy of one of our first modern industrialists, Henry Ford. Henry Ford said, he wanted to keep the price of his Ford automobiles at a level where the people who manufactured them could afford to buy them. You can have your automobiles manufactured by someone in China who’s only making $2 an hour. However, try and sell your vehicle to those people. They will not be able to afford them. Once you’ve destroyed the economic market here, your corporation will fold.

The Founding Fathers were for what is best for this nation. Yes, they valued personal freedoms. However, they understood that personal freedoms were necessary to make this nation as strong as possible. The focus was always on nation building. It never was their intent that this nation become a series of waring enclaves where the haves and have-nots fought one another for survival. It was never their intent that this nation be controlled or run by religion. Freedom of religion also means freedom from religion. They wanted people to be free to practice their religion as they choose, but they never intended for people to force their religious beliefs onto others. This nation was founded by people fleeing religious tyranny.

With all their flaws, many of which had their basis in the times in which they lived, the philosophies of the Founding Fathers, those things which they valued, would be a breath of fresh air today. To my Republican friends, don’t invoke the Founding Fathers when you don’t know them.

The Hijacking of Jesus

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The story I’m about to tell you is absolutely true. It has always been known by an inner circle of powerful people and generally kept from the masses. The reality is, this truth has been hiding in plain site for well over 2,000 years. The truth can be a very dangerous thing. That is why it is most often guarded by a battalion of lies. Most of you have never heard this. Most of you will refuse to believe it. Some will do the research merely looking for a way to refute this truth. The thing about truth is, whether you believe it or not, once you’re exposed to it, it changes you. If you are unable to handle truth, stop reading now. If on the other hand you want to know, I have a story to tell you.

This story begins with a very famous Greek who conquered the then known world. His name was Alexander of Macedon. He is better known from history as Alexander the Great. While this story begins with him, it is not about him. The story is actually about one of his generals by the name of Ptolemy. Alexander practiced a form of conquest that was focused more on acquisition than destruction. What he did after he conquered a land, was install a governor, make those people a part of his empire and of course, tax them. The Romans learned from and followed Alexander’s example.

It should come as no surprise, after conquering Egypt, Alexander installed a governor and moved on. The governor that Alexander installed, was one of his favorite generals a man by the name of Ptolemy. It is important to note, that at that time – circa 300 BC – the only Europeans were either Greek or Roman. This is important to note because it means that the people who lived in Egypt, the Egyptians were Black Africans. All the great pyramids had already been built. All the great temples, the Sphinx all the wonders in Egypt had already been built before any Europeans stumbled into the Nile Valley. In point of fact, Egypt had already reached the pinnacle of it’s civilization and was in decline. This is important to note because many modern revisionist historians refuse to recognize the accomplishments of the Africans. The Jews have tried to take credit in their mythologies, but as usual get their stories wrong. A trip to Egypt and a simple inspection will prove that nothing from that period was built out of mud bricks made with straw. The Egyptians built in stone. And of course, now there is the “Alien Connection.” Some are saying that ancient visitors from outer space came down and did all the construction. It seems anything is more believable than Africans having built and left such a legacy. But I digress.

Ptolemy had a problem. In order to rule Egypt, he had to become Pharaoh of Egypt. The Pharaoh was considered to be a living god. Sure, you could try and rule by force alone. However, a culture as mature and developed as the Egyptians would be very difficult to rule by force of arms. If you think about it, our modern army the most modern and powerful fighting force yet to exist on this planet, has been unable to pacify the primitive nation of Afghanistan. You reach a point, where military might will not take you to the resolution you desire. What Ptolemy needed was to find someone to make him a god. Egypt was full of various religious denominations however the only group that would agree to his demands were the Coptic priests. In order to rule, Ptolemy had to become the supreme god, over and above all other Egyptian gods. The Coptics had just the ticket. They combined the essence of Osiris with Apis the bull and created a god called Serapis.

This new god was supreme and over all other gods. It possessed the form of a man and was depicted with an overflowing cup upon his head. Often around his head were depicted sprouting branches. Serapis gave life by pouring his essence or anointing from the cup that sat atop his head. This anointing was called the Christos. The priesthood who served Serapis became known as the Bishops of the Christos or Bishops of Christ.

“A correspondence of Emperor Hadrian refers to Alexandrian worshipers of Serapis calling themselves ‘Bishops of Christ’:

‘Egypt, which you commended to me, my dearest Servianus, I have found to be wholly fickle and inconsistent, and continually wafted about by every breath of fame. The worshipers of Serapis (here) are called Christians, and those who are devoted to the god Serapis (I find), call themselves Bishops of Christ.’

–Hadrian to Servianus, 134A.D. (Quoted by Giles, ii p86)”

Historical Context.

You are no doubt familiar with a rather famous Egyptian Queen by the name of Cleopatra. What most people do not know is that there were several Queens named Cleopatra. In point of fact, the one we’re going to focus on is the one who was married to Julius Caesar and then later to Marc Antony. She was Cleopatra VII. She was the several generations – nearly 300 years – a great granddaughter of Ptolemy Soter. (The study of salvation through Jesus is called soteriology) Following the death of Julius Caesar, Marc Antony and Octavian went to war for control of the Roman Empire. We’ve all seen the story of Cleopatra committing suicide by embracing the poisonous asps. The dreams of the star crossed lovers ended when Marc Antony was defeated and killed by Octavian making Octavian sole emperor of Rome. What most people do not know is that upon becoming emperor, Octavian took on the name Augustus. Yes, the same Caesar Augustus that figures so prominently in the Christmas story.

It is important to have some historical context when placing events and understanding their meanings. This is the time into which Jesus was born. Rome was consolidating it’s power under Augustus. Because of this instability some of the nations under the control of Rome began testing Rome’s resolve. Why did the Angels sing “Peace on Earth?” Because there wasn’t any. The Jewish people were looking for a messiah that would liberate them from Roman rule.

We all are familiar with the story of Jesus. He travels, preaches, develops a following and is crucified. His followers carry on his mission. At that time, being a follower of Jesus was not a spectators sport. Being a follower of Jesus could get you killed. The Romans would kill you for being a member of a group that wanted to overthrow of Rome. The orthodox Jews didn’t like you because you were antagonistic to their authority and control. They considered you to be heretics. This presented a problem for the early followers of Jesus which can be seen from the archaeological record. The followers of Jesus built hidden and concealed gathering places to worship. They used coded symbols, most prominently the symbol of a fish. Notice I have not referred to the followers of Jesus as “Christians.” The reason is quite simple. They didn’t refer to themselves as Christians.

Christians 2.0

In spite of persecution, the message carried by the followers of Jesus seemed to flourish. The truth of his teachings seemed to strike a chord in the hearts of the people who heard them. The Jesus movement grew. Although there is some historical evidence for followers of Jesus being crucified, used for entertainment and sport in the Roman arenas and Colosseum, in spite of this, the movement continued to grow. It grew to the point that it attracted the attention of the mother of a Roman general named Constantine. Her name was Helena. Helena was not one to go halfway. She dived into the story of Jesus and his followers as avidly as some await the next installment of Harry Potter or the Twilight series. She went to the “Holy Lands” and basically asked anyone she met, where some pivotal event occurred. Where was Jesus born? There was no way to know whether or not the person she was asking actually had any idea. Nevertheless, whatever she was told, she placed an imperial marker and that place became the official site. Churches were built wherever these markers were placed and they have become the official sites that people go to and revere today.

Now we come to the matter of what you believe. If you believe that there has been an evil force – Satan – out to destroy the followers of Jesus, what do you think it has been doing? At first the plan seemed to have been to scatter the followers of Jesus. That didn’t work because wherever they went, they took his teachings with them and the message spread. Oppression simply wasn’t effective. The more oppressed, the more the movement grew. A change in strategy was in order. If you can’t beat them, join them. There is a saying that goes, “if we can name it we can tame it.” The first thing done was to give the followers of Jesus a name. They were called Christians. It was a nice fit. The iconography was already there. The budding branches around the head of Serapis morphed into a crown of thorns. The cup atop the head of Serapis became a halo. The image of Jesus became one and the same as that of Serapis.

Of course the message changed. Jesus said to Roman soldiers who asked what they needed to do to gain eternal life, “do violence to no man.” Constantine, claimed – like Paul – to have had a vision. His vision was of a cross floating in the sky. A voice spoke to him telling him to go and conquer under this sign. The story goes, that Constantine won his battle and Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire. Constantine thought that having a universal religion would help to unite the Empire. To this end, Constantine decided to build 50 churches across his empire. He wanted a Bible to go in each of his churches thus, documentation had to be gathered, vetted and created. To this end, in 325 AD Constantine convened the first Nicaean Council.

Nicaean Council 325 AD

This is where it all began. Christian apologist take the position that this council merely met to produce a clear and comprehensive statement on the tenets of the Christian faith. However, common sense proves this not to be the case. First, Nice is in what is modern day Turkey. 300 Bishops from all around the empire were called to attend. Travel at that time was an arduous proposition. Further you can tell from the agenda of the meeting that these issues had hardly been decided or accepted by all. The first item on the agenda was the Arian controversy. Arius, who was from Alexandria Egypt, taught that Jesus was the creation of God. He was God’s most perfect creation but he was not God. He was the perfect son of God.

Why is this significant? Remember where the Christos was created? That’s right, in Egypt by the Coptic priests. Arius knew and was quite familiar with the story. He knew that the Christos was a created being. The other problem this controversy exposes is, in order for their to be any dispute, the Gospel of John 10:30 could not have been in existence. That verse reads, “I and my father are one.” After uttering this, the Jews took up rocks to stone Jesus. Thus, if that gospel existed prior to the Nicaean Council and the events recorded therein are factual, there could have been no dispute regarding the true nature of Jesus. Thus, there is evidence that the Gospel of John did not exist prior to 325 AD. If it did, the members of the Council seemed unfamiliar with it.

It was at this council that Jesus officially became Christ. His deity was ratified by what has become known as the Nicaean Creed:

“We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God,eternally begotten of the Father,God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father. Through him all things were made.

For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven by the power of the Holy Spirit he was born of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered, died, and was buried. On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.”

The important point here is the fact, anytime you have to call everyone together to hammer out a statement of position, there had to have been some dispute. Clearly by the time of the Nicaean Council, the chain of custody of the message of Jesus had long been broken. While some would argue that this was a symptom of success, the practical reality was, this council was beginning the process of creating the message of Jesus. How do we know this? Because following the canonization of the texts put together by Eusebius of Caesarea the book burning began. The newly formed church began gathering up all other manuscripts and burning them. This is why the “Dead Sea Scrolls” were sealed in clay jars and buried in caves. All other documents, some giving an entirely different take on the story of Jesus had to go.

Biblical apologist will defend this indefensible action by claiming that these other documents were heretical. That is an easy charge to make in their absence. If you murder all the witnesses, your account is all that is left. Nevertheless, some documents did escape the purge. Biblical apologist will try and point to the similarities in the canonized texts in an attempt to prove the validity of their texts, but they ignore the differences. You cannot have it both ways. It amazes me that people are so ready to place their faith and ultimately their hope for eternal salvation in the hands of men they did not know, who had agendas and beliefs of which they are unaware who were under the control, direction and guidance of a pagan emperor who was not even baptized until he was on his deathbed.

How do we know that the original texts were edited, altered and added to? One of the most glaring examples of this can be found in the Gospel of Mark. The earliest manuscripts found all end at Mark 16:8. Some of your better study Bibles have a footnote stating something to the effect that other manuscripts of Mark have a different ending. The seminal question is whom wrote verses 9 – 20? Even the earliest manuscripts were approximately 200 years after Mark would have been dead. There are other problems with the Gospel of Mark. Whom ever wrote it obviously was not familiar with the geography of Galilee. Mark 7:31 has Jesus by passing the “Sea of Galilee” on his way to the “Sea of Galilee.” This is a mistake that Mark would not have made. It would be like my saying, “I sailed down the Mississippi River and into the “Grand Canyon.” Huh??? Anyone with a smattering of North American Geography knows that the Mississippi River goes nowhere near the Grand Canyon.

Here is another problem that a true witness to the life of Jesus would not have made. Ask any “Christian” how long Jesus was in the grave and you’ll get the answer, 3 days and 3 nights. Why is this? They’re quoting from Matthew 12:40 where Jesus reportedly says, “as Jonas was in the belly of the whale for 3 days and 3 nights, so shall the Son of Man be 3 days and 3 nights in the heart of the Earth.” Yet, we have Jesus crucified on “Good Friday” and resurrected on “Easter Sunday Morning.” You do the math.

Yet another problem is, IF the Gospel of John existed and was known prior to the Nicaean Councils, it would have rendered half the agenda for the first council moot. Most of the first council was taken up by a debate over the nature of Jesus. Was he God? Was he Son? Was he the Logos – Word?” What does the very first chapter of the Gospel of John declare?

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  

2 The same was in the beginning with God.  

3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.  

4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.  

5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.  

6 ¶There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  

7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.  

8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.  

9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.  

10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.  

11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.  

12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:  

13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.  

14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.  

15 ¶John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.  

16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.  

17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.  

18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

All that would have been needed would have been for anyone one of those 300 Bishops to take the floor and read those 18 verses. End of debate. Yet, at nowhere in the records of those councils do you have any such exchange or even an exchange containing the ideas expressed within those 18 verses. Why? You have two explanations. The first is, that Gospel had yet to be forge… WRITTEN! The second is equally as disturbing, all those would be journeymen, running around with the title of Bishop – note this was before there was an actual office of a Bishop – were not even aware of the rudimentary of documents or sacred writings of their faith. Why is this so important? The Bible that you read today and call “Holy” was put together by these men.

People do things for a reason. Those reasons are more profound usually when there is money involved or political gain to be had. Constantine was a pagan Sun worshiper. The “Cross” is a pagan Sun sign. The horizontal beam represents the Sun’s transit from East to West across the sky. The vertical beam represents the Sun’s rays coming down to touch the Earth. No follower of Jesus would ever sanctify the instrument of his execution. In point of fact, the symbol used by the early followers of Jesus was that of a fish. Do you think it a coincidence that Constantine, an avowed pagan Sun worshiper would just so happen pick a pagan Sun sign – the Cross – as the new emblem for the religion he was creating? Of course not. Why is it so important that Jesus be in the grave for 3 days and nights? If he was dead for one hour and resurrected, wouldn’t that be just as significant? Would his having only spent 1 day dead and in a grave have accomplished the same thing? Yet, hammered into all “true believers” is this notion of 3 days and 3 nights. Is there another reason for this?

As it turns out, there actually is! All Sun gods have these same attributes. They all are surrounded by 12 helpers. They all give life and perform miracles. They are all enemies of the Dark. They all fall and die for 3 days and 3 nights. They all are resurrected and are seen by all in the sky. Here are some more points:

  • The sun dies for three days on December 22nd, the winter solstice, when it stops in travels southward, to be born again (resurrected) on December 25th, when it continues its progress north.
  • In various areas, the calendar originally began in the constellation of Virgo and the sun would consequently be perceived as being born of a ‘virgin’.
  • The sun is of course the ‘Light of the World.’
  • The sun ‘cometh on clouds and every eye shall see him.’
  • The sun rising in the morning is the ‘Saviour of mankind.’
  • The sun wears a corona, crown of thorns or ‘circle of light’ (halo).
  • The sun is seen to ‘walk on water.’
  • The sun’s follower’s helpers (disciples) are the 12 months and the 12 signs of the zodiac or constellations, through which the sun has to pass.
  • The sun at 12 noon is in the house/temple of the ‘Most High,’ consequently ‘he’ begins ‘his Father’s work’ at the age of 12.
  • The sun enters each sign of the zodiac at 30°; hence, the ‘Sun of God’ begins his ministry at the age of 30.
  • The sun is hung on a cross (crucified) which represents its passing through the equinoxes, the spring/vernal equinox being Easter, at which time it is then reborn.

From the stories of Isis, Osiris and Horus, to Mithra, to Krishna to Jesus, all these Sun gods have similar characteristics. Consider all the effort Constantine’s mother – Helena – put into identifying and verifying the stories of Jesus. Wouldn’t it have been odd for her not to ask about various important dates? The stories of the nativity of Jesus describe shepherds in the fields watching over their flocks at night. Consider, that area of the world is in the northern hemisphere. If Jesus were actually born in December, or for that matter, anytime during the winter months, flocks wouldn’t be grazing and shepherds would not have been in the fields. So we know there was a reason why Jesus’ birth was set on December 25th although he clearly wasn’t born around that date.

With the death of Judas, the Apostles numbered 11. In the first chapter of the book of Acts, the Apostles for some reason, seemed to feel that they needed to replace Judas and return their number to 12. Why? However, more importantly, why isn’t this mentioned in any of the Gospels? Jesus had multitudes following him. Clearly by the very presence and the statements made, Matthias and Barsabas had been followers of Jesus from the beginning. Read that again. They had been followers from the beginning. So, from the written account, Jesus had more than 12 Disciples. In fact, we have no idea how many Disciples Jesus had. So why the emphasis on only 12? Why was it necessary to return the number to 12 following the departure of Judas? Was this written in by design? Someone’s design?

Enter Saul:

Paul was simply the Greek name for Saul. In keeping with the sun god theme. You have the Sun and His 12 helpers. We encode this into your 12 month calendar year. We have the 12 signs of he zodiac. We have the 12 Disciples/Apostles, plus Jesus, makes 13. With the addition of Paul to this pantheon, we’re back at 13. Now we come to the question of what you truly believe. If you truly believe that the followers of Jesus were under Satanic attack, do you believe that Satan, probably the second most intelligent being in existence simply sat on his figurative hands? Remember, when he first made his appearance in the Garden of Eden story, he was described as being an extremely subtle entity. If you wanted to utterly destroy the Jesus movement, would it be best to do it from the inside? Or would it be best to do it from the outside?

Remember that Paul was a contemporary of Jesus. IF Jesus had wanted Paul as a follower, do you think Jesus could have found him and called him to discipleship? Of course he could have. Yet he did not. Jesus gave the “Keys” to Peter. Yet, Paul is credited with writing most of your “New Testament.” Why? It is Paul who sets in place the doctrine and dogma of the Christian Church. It is Paul who clearly changes the focus and in some cases the actual message of Jesus. Consider how salvation is wrought. Here is a classic example. In Luke 18:18 a “Certain Ruler” comes to Jesus and asks him what he must do to inherit eternal life. What does Jesus tell him? Jesus tells him first to keep all the Commandments. The Ruler says he has done so from his youth. Jesus then tells him there is only one more thing he needs to do, sell all that he has, distribute it to the poor and follow Jesus. The story records that the Ruler went away sorrowful. Why? Because he was very rich.

What does Paul have to say about salvation? In Ephesians 2:8, Paul says that ye are saved by grace, through faith, not of works. If the Rich ruler had simply waited until he met Paul, he could have kept all he had and had eternal life too. Both Paul and Jesus cannot be correct if they’re saying different things. The question is, whom are you going to believe? Whom are you going to follow? How could Paul be a true Apostle and teach a message different from Jesus? Again, your answers are in plain sight if you know where to look. Since Paul was not chosen by Jesus and sort of showed up claiming to be not only a follower but an Apostle, it is instructive to examine his credentials.

What do we know about Paul? We know that his original mission was to destroy the followers of Jesus and to extinguish the Jesus movement. Surprisingly, Paul claims to have had a meeting with Jesus which converted him. Could this possibly have happened? Anything is possible. However, since we already know that Paul’s mission was to destroy, perhaps it might be prudent to examine his testimony carefully. There are three accounts of Paul’s conversion experience. Not surprisingly, none of them agree. You can read them for yourself here:

  • Acts 9:1-12
  • Acts 22:6-12
  • Acts 26:12-18

Pay careful attention to the reactions of those with him who would have been his only witnesses. In the first recounting of his conversion experience, those who were with him, all stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no man. In the second telling of his conversion experience, the witnesses, saw a light, but heard no man. In the third and final rendition of his conversion experience, the witnesses all fall down and we don’t know if they saw or heard anything. It would seem to me that if Jesus appeared to you in person, at the very least, you’d be able to tell a consistent account of the event. Of course if you were making he whole thing up, you would probably tailor your account to fit your target audience.

In point of fact, Paul has a habit of not getting his story straight. Consider the accounts of his “Great Escape.” You may recall this story from Sunday School. It seems to be a favorite. It is the account of Paul escaping capture by being let down over a wall in a basket by a rope. It could almost be out of a James Bond movie. The only thing better would have been a story of him rappelling down the wall in three controlled leaps. You can read both accounts here:

  • Acts 9:23-25
  • II Cor. 11:32-33

In the first account, we are told that the Jews took council to kill Paul. In the second account we learn that it was a civil matter. The governor wanted to arrest him. Was the story altered to fit Paul’s target audience? If so, that would be what we call a LIE. Surprisingly enough, Paul admits to lying and is not ashamed about it.

II Cor. 12:16

“But be it so, I did not burden you: nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile.”

Rom. 3:7

“For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner?”

As it turns out, Paul did not deceive the true followers of Jesus. Read what God says about Paul in Revelations 2:1-2.

“1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;  

2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:”

Who claimed to be the Apostle to the Ephesian Church? Paul. In point of fact, you don’t have anyone other than Paul pushing his Apostleship on people. The true Apostles didn’t need to. The followers of Jesus were quite familiar with whom they were. Only Paul runs around declaring himself to be an Apostle. In Revelations 2, God is commending the Ephesian Church for rejecting Paul. Some Bible apologist will try and claim that this passage refers to some other persons unknown who were claiming to be Apostles. The trouble is, in none of the writings left to us, do we have any mention from any writers, including Paul, specifically addressing false Apostles.

The second point is, that the Ephesian Church rejected Paul. If there is any doubt, Paul himself in his letter to Timothy complains that “all Asia has rejected him.” (II Tim. 1:15)

Coming Full Circle

When you know where to look, the evidence of what was done becomes clear. Constantine was a Pagan Sun worshiper right up until he was baptized on his death bed. On his shield were inscribed the words, “Sol Invictus” which translates to, “The Conquering Sun.” Serapis was substituted for Jesus complete with the ready made iconography. When you close your eyes and picture Jesus, you are picturing the face of Serapis a man made created god. The attributes of Serapis are those of any one of a number of Sun gods. From the date of his birth to the story of his death and resurrection.

Your most Holy Book, the Bible, was edited, altered, massaged and created to comply with and enforce this myth. The documents of the early followers of Jesus were carefully selected for their ability to be edited to conform with this myth. Those that were deemed unusable were destroyed in a massive book burning campaign. What remains today is fruit from the poisonous tree. Yet, even with all that has been done to destroy the message, you can still find it’s essence in the simple passages.

Jesus said, there were only two commandments: Love God and Love your neighbor. When Jesus left, he promised to send a Comforter in His name that would lead and guide you into all truth. He didn’t promise to send you a Bible, a Pastor or a Preacher. When the Disciples entered the empty tomb, they did not find a copy of the “King James Version of the Bible” sitting atop a neatly folded “Shroud of Turin.” God wants a personal relationship with you. Not a relationship by proxy. Jesus’ mission was not to reinvent the Levitical Priesthood. He did not come to build a church of brick and mortar. He did not come to create a system that could be co-opted by power hungry men seeking to bleed the people of their resources.  It is time to wake up, grow up and get up. Read your Bible if you must, but know that the words contained therein, are not now, nor have they ever been “The Word of God.” The “Word of God is Jesus.” He’s not in a book. He resides in hearts. If you want to hear the “Word of God,” get quiet and listen.

Oh yeah, do take those crosses from around your necks. Jesus really finds those offensive. That picture that goes with this note? That’s a bust of Serapis. It’s not Jesus. Jesus would be the SON of God, not the Sun of God.

The End of America?

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Empires won by conquest have always fallen either by revolt within or by defeat by a rival. __John Boyd Orr

by Benjamin T. Moore, Jr.

236 years ago this nation was formed. It was an experiment in a blended form of government heretofore unknown in recorded human history. There had been democracies as far back as the Grecian empire. There had also been republics. The “Roman Empire” was such. However, there had not really been a form of government that combined the two and wrapped them with the strict set of rules today we refer to as our Constitution.

A lot of thought went into constructing our Constitutional Republic. The problem with a Republic is, you’ve merely distributed the power of a King amongst wealthy plutocrats. Although a plutocracy may engage in enlightened debate marked by continuous disagreement, you could always be certain they would all agree on what was in their own best interest. Thus whatever decisions they would come to would always be those decisions that maintained their power, often at the expense of what was best for the masses of people they ruled over.

How about a Democracy? A Democracy is good as long as you’re a member of whichever group is in the majority. The “Founding Fathers” remembered the religious persecution that caused immigrants to flee Europe, risk a long, arduous and dangerous ocean voyage for the mere chance at a better life in a wilderness land.

A democratically elected, constitutional republic seemed to be the best of both worlds. No Kings to establish dynasties. The efficiency of a Republic. The fairness of a Democracy bound by the protections of a Constitution which placed strict limits on governmental powers. In truth, with only a few hiccups along the way, we’ve done pretty well.

The problem with any system is always the human element. No matter how noble the intent, over time corrupting influences will emerge to alter and wrest that original intent for selfish purpose. You need but examine any institution that has been around for any period of time to see it’s evolution into decay. One of the best examples of this are religious institutions. Once they existed to better the human condition. Now they are little more than profit driven silos of power. They’ve gone from amassing fortunes to seeking to wield political power. “Separation of Church and Sate” be damned!

Our educational institutions have also fallen to corruption. It used to be a diploma from certain institutions actually meant something. Attending those institutions taught you how to think. Now you’re taught what to think. Instead of turning out men and women equipped to invent the future, they now turn out cookie cutter drones good for nothing better than working in a corporate hive. Should any one of them actually invent something, it becomes the property of the corporation. Thus, invention is suppressed. The progress of humanity is impeded because control and profit have become more important than progress and advancement.

The primary instrument of our demise has been economic greed. We have allowed ourselves to be deluded into believing that economic systems have some moral attributions exceeding the effectiveness of their applicable functionalities. There is nothing inherently good or evil in Capitalism, Communism or Socialism. These are merely economic philosophies. These are tools used to provide a monetary system for the benefit of the societies that use them.

Ask the average American and they’ll tell you that Capitalism is good and Communism is evil. What’s worse, they will irrationally attach the attribution of evil to any society using Communism as their monetary system. Those with a smattering of historical knowledge may point to various war atrocities which occurred under some regime using Communism. If you ask them to explain exactly what Communism is, you’ll usually find their silence deafening. Ironically they seem to forget that Nazi Germany was not Communist.

Whenever you see such irrationality surrounding what is actually a neutral economic philosophy, one must ask whom is promoting these feelings? Whom continues to stoke these fires? To what end? Communism is not a form of government. Yes, I know that dictionaries will say that it is. However, if you compare the definitions of Communism and Socialism you’ll see they are actually identical. The differences are really in the terms used to describe the governmental agency used to control the distribution of the common wealth.

Capitalism is defined as the wealth being owned and controlled by private agencies and individuals. In practice however, we have corporations who’s wealth exceeds the economies of small nations. Their boards of directors are in effect governments who hoard the wealth for those at the top and exploit the workers at the bottom.

The only reason Capitalism continues to exist is, those in power have been successful – they should be, lord knows they spend enough money on propaganda – in convincing the masses that they might one day earn a seat at the table. This is exploiting the same mentality that causes people to buy lottery tickets every week.

How is Capitalism working out for us? Let’s look at a few examples. I remember when “broad band” Internet access first became available in my area. I have been “on-line” since the early 90’s. When I first got on-line, there was Compuserve and AOL. The Internet existed but was primarily the province of research institutions and the government. Everybody else used an interconnecting series of Computer Bulletin Boards known as BBS. These bulletin board services would exchange packets of mail once or twice a day using telephone land-lines and a modem through a series of “nodes” known as “Fidonet.”

You could only communicate instantly with other users in your community who happened to be on the same “Bulletin Board” as you were, at the same time. When “Broad Band” came to my area it was provided by a company called, “@Home.” The speeds were blindingly fast. Actually faster than what they are today. They had partnered with local Cable Television providers to bring their service into our homes. The rates were attractively inexpensive and I was so impressed, I couldn’t have been happier than a fat man at a free smorgasbord! Unfortunately, my joy was to be short lived.

Comcast – may their villainous tribe decrease – began buying stock in @Home. They bought enough stock such that they were able to control the direction of the company through their votes on the board. They actually voted down decisions that would have made @Home more profitable and voted into place policies that crippled @Home and eventually led to it’s demise. Once it was weak enough, Comcast made them an offer they could no longer afford to refuse and bought them out. Like a “Trojan Horse” they infiltrated @Home, poisoned them and took them over.

In rapid succession I received two notices. The first informing me that Comcast had acquired @Home and my billing would now be coming from them. The second informing me that the speed of my connection was being cut in half. Note, my bill wasn’t decreasing to reflect this diminution in service. I would continue to pay the same price but I would be receiving less. How do you like them apples?!?

Had @Home asked me, I might have warned them about what was coming. I had an interesting experience with Comcast a few years earlier. This was back when Cable was only 40 or so channels and nobody had conceived of HDTV. Our Cable bill had started out around $25 per month. We looked up one day and it had crept up to $60 a month. We hadn’t added anything, however – as I’m sure everyone who is a Comcast customer knows – Comcast had been adding in little hidden charges and hidden fees, minor price increases the results of which were, one fine day, my wife and I said enough and decided to look for other options. Because of “franchising agreements” with the City, Time-Warner couldn’t compete in Comcast’s area – outside 465 – and Comcast couldn’t provide service in Time-Warner’s area – inside 465. So much for competition benefiting the consumer.

At that time, there was a company providing Satellite TV service known as “PrimeStar.” Some of you may recall them? I opened my “Yellow Pages,” located their number and gave them a call. How bad could it be? The lady that answered the phone said, “PrimeStar, how may I help you?” I told her briefly what my issues were. I vented a little about my disgust with Comcast, then she said something that simply stunned me! She said, “well let me look at your service and see what I can do.” What? The Hell you say??? “Oh, PrimeStar contracted with Comcast to do their installations. From what I’m looking at, you’re entitled to some promotions and new pricing plans that should drastically cut your bill…. yes, we can get your bill back down to $30 dollars.”

Needless to say, PrimeStar is no longer in existence. That’s Capitalism you say? Shrewd business practices in a competitive market? Perhaps, but what about all the employees of @Home and PrimeStar who lost their jobs, their health insurance and a substantial portion of their pensions… if they were able to negotiate any of their pension funds? Collateral damage? Perhaps…

Because what we have are in essence monopolies working in collusion, there are very few companies providing Internet service to the citizens of this country. Unless these companies can rape… er, I mean, make the profit margins they wish, there are many rural communities who do not have broad band internet service. Did you know that our Internet speeds in the United States are 5 to 6 times slower than many places in Europe? France immediately comes to mind. Yes, some of it has to do with fiber-optic lines, but much of it is due to throttling that goes on at the Cable Companies. Why? Because for a few dollars more, they will sell you a tiered service with much faster speeds. Almost as fast or perhaps even a little bit faster than what @Home was bringing us for less than half the cost… and this was before fiber-optic lines!

I Will Never Buy an Apple Product Again!

One of the reasons I originally went with Microsoft for my computer system, had a lot to do with Apple blocking and prohibiting access to many features allowing users to tweak their operating system. You could only use Apple monitors, printers and their own peripherals. Thus, if Okidata had a printer that did what you wanted for half the cost of the Apple offering, you were shucks out of luck! They did get me on their iPhone however. Primarily because at that time, it was really the only “SmartPhone” available that made the Internet truly usable on a cellphone.

I was elated when I first got it. I set up my e-mail accounts, began saving my “favorites” in the web browser and I began taking pictures. It was then I noticed a problem. The first iPhone would not take videos. Really??? For those of you who do not know, the same lens that will take a “still picture” will take a video with equal ease. It is simply a matter of software. In point of fact, an entire underground counter-culture industry has sprung up “jail-breaking” iPhones. There was a 3rd party application that could turn the “still-camera” in the first iPhones into video cameras. So, why didn’t Apple think to make the camera on their well thought out iPhone a video camera? Because three months later, there were suckers waiting in line over night to get the next version of their iPhone for a slightly higher price. Of course it came with video capability.

They were gouging their customers by the incremental release of technologies they already had sitting on their shelves. Rather than produce the best product they were capable of, and then bettering themselves on their next big “reveal,” they chose instead to sell a substandard product and turn an extra dollar from a gullible, naive public. Capitalism? Shrewd business marketing? To be sure. However, it is also a hidden redistribution of wealth from people with way too little of it to people with way too much of it. Why do I say this? When you’re not getting what you’re paying for? You’re being ripped off. The difference in features between the iPhone I purchased and the new one that came out 3 months later, were not sufficient to justify the cost of an entirely new phone. I gladly would have paid $50 to $60 extra for the features which probably cost less than $10 to include. Paying $199 for a brand new phone, is a scam.

In 2005 we built a brand new 6,400 sq ft. home. We built it out of brick and spared no expense within our financial means at that time. We took our time and carefully selected the very best appliances available to our knowledge at that time. No, we didn’t buy Viking for our kitchen. We don’t have it like that… but we didn’t short change our appliances either. Our home has two high efficiency furnaces, one for the downstairs and one for the upstairs. We also have two hot water heaters. We selected A.O. Smith “Power Shots” because they had a good name. Since 2006 – when we took possession of our home – I’m on my 3rd water heater. Why? Yes, we have well water. However, we have a high end whole house filter as well as a water softener which we maintain.

What goes out on the water heater? The “thermo-coupler.” This is the control module which by the way, never comes into contact with the water. A.O. Smith has replaced at least 4 of them under warranty. They’re about $350 each. However, the warranty does not cover the labor involved to swap them out. Each time the plumber comes out, it costs $170. Growing up, we had water heaters that worked flawlessly and lasted 15 – 20 years. How can this be? Did they suddenly forget how to build reliable water heaters? Of course not! There is more money involved in fixing, repairing and supplying parts than there is in actually building and selling a solid product. This is why cars are stolen. Your car is worth over 3 times what you paid for it in parts. I’ve actually considered buying a brand new car and making a deal with someone to simply take it apart piece by piece and sell the parts on eBay. I’d make enough to pay the car off and buy another one free and clear. Yes it would take time and be a hassle, but the reason this is even possible is because the automotive industry, years ago figured out they’d make more money from people trading in their cars every 3 or so years and buying new ones.

It wasn’t enough changing the styles. The consumer needed a little extra incentive so they built them to start wearing out after 3 years. The backlash was, people began buying foreign cars. This is why German, Japanese, Korean, British cars and others are being sold here today. People simply got tired of being nickel and dimed repairing or replacing their cars every 3 years. Detroit left an opening that foreign companies rushed into fill. Capitalism? To be sure. However, the upshot was/is that American dollars have been flowing into the coffers of business and governments that are not truly Capitalist. If you worship at the shrine of Capitalism, why are you funding the governments of countries that practice Socialism and in some cases Communism?

Bottom line? The pursuit of profit under the aegis of Capitalism has caused the American consumer to fund and pay for the resources of nations who seek our demise. Who cares? So long as somebody makes a profit right?

Corporate Parasites – It Cost More To Live When You’re Poor

Businesses and Corporations actually budget, counting on your late fees. What’s worse, they now employ strategies to maximize these fees. Case in point. Like you, I have several Credit Cards. “BankAmericard” is one. “DiscoverCard” is another. I single these two out because of a particularly nasty little trick they tried to play. Like many people, we use “Quicken” to manage our finances. We have Quicken set to remind us when some payments are due and to actually pay others. One of these credit cards was due on the 1st of the month, the other was due on the 15th of the month. For several years, all was good. Every bill was automatically paid on time. No late fees. No issues.

Then one month, we got a notice of a late payment fee. When we looked into it, we discovered that “BankAmericard” had unilaterally changed the payment due date to 5 days ahead of schedule. This caused us a late payment fee. Because we paid as scheduled, we were not 30 days late and it did not impact our credit score. Not a problem, we simply went into Quicken and adjusted the payment trigger to the new date. A few months later, we got another notice of late payment. This was from “DiscoverCard.” They had done the exact same thing. Over the next 6 months, both “BankAmericard and DiscoverCard” did the exact same thing… AGAIN!

What made this possible? Banking deregulation! After President Obama’s administration put regulations back in place, this became illegal. My wife who works in the Banking Industry knows the law. When they tried it again, she called them up and cited the law which says they cannot arbitrarily change payment due dates. Here’s the tip off. The person who answered the phone acknowledged this law and apologized and set the dates back to what they were originally.

 Have they stopped this practice? Of course not. If you are not aware of the changes in the law, it’s business as usual. Look at it this way. Suppose you were caught shoplifting a few steaks to feed your family. You get caught by store security as you’re about to exit the store. Would you be allowed to say, “Oh, my bad! I’ll put them back. No harm, no foul?” Of course not. You’re going to be charged. Yet, these large corporations are in essence shoplifting from the pockets of their customers. If you don’t call them on it, they get away clean. If you do catch them they simply stop. They do not refund all the fees from the times they robbed your previously. That’s just water under the bridge.

Most people get paid around the 1st and or the 15th of the month. Thus, it would make sense for your payments to be scheduled around those dates. This would also work for people who are paid weekly. When companies structure their payment due dates away from these times there is a reason. That reason is it maximizes the probability of late fees. If everybody paid their bills on time, these companies would take a hit to their revenue streams.

Socializing Cost While Privatizing Profits

There is an excellent book by David Cay Johnston called “The Fine Print: How Big Companies Use ‘Plain English’ to Rob You Blind.” How does your State or City attract a new manufacturing plant or a Sports Team? They offer the inducement of tax incentives. They’ll build the stadium or they’ll give them an abatement in State taxes to build their plant. When this happens, who is actually paying for this? The money isn’t coming out of thin air. You the taxpayer is footing the bill. When a corporation is given tax abatements to build that new manufacturing plant, yes they’re bringing jobs to your community. However, not only are they not going to have to pay State taxes – the taxes that build and maintain the infrastructure they’re going to be using – oft times they will not have to pay State taxes on their employees. They will still collect – take those taxes out of the pay checks of their employees – but they will pocket that money.

This is money that will not go to schools, fire and police departments, first responders, teachers, road maintenance and all the things that make our communities the places we like to live. Nobody asks the question, “how many jobs would a corporation have to provide before the benefits they provide would justify the costs to the taxpayers?” Politicians won’t ask because the photo-op of them cutting the tape for the opening of a new plant is good for votes.

The Oil Industry is the most profitable industry on the planet. Yet, we subsidize them each year to the tune of billions of dollars. Why? The problem is simple. Corporations have bought our elections and they’ve bought our elected officials. They are using the money they’re plucking from your pockets, your pension funds and your children’s college funds to build the prison they’re confining you in. You are paying for your own enslavement.

Blood Money

Whenever you hear the President or some other political leader use the phrase, “protecting American Interests,” you need to understand what they’re saying. They’re rarely if ever talking about what is in the best interest of you and your family. They’re talking about the interests of one or more corporations. We have sacrificed our treasure and paid in blood to protect the profit stream of corporations.

World War II ended in 1945, yet we still have military bases and a military presence all over Europe. Why? Radical Islamic terrorist don’t hate us for our freedom as one nit wit American President proclaimed. They hate us because our corporations are exploiting their nations, people and resources. Why do we care who is in power in a particular region? We care because we want to deal with governments favorable to our economic interests. What economic interests does the United States have in these regions? None! We do not collect taxes from those populations. It is our corporations that want to either do business there, build a pipeline across their country or use their people as cheap labor in conditions and at wages that would be against the law here.

You cannot buy cigarettes in the United States until you turn 21. You cannot market cigarettes to children. However, those laws are not present in other countries and our Tobacco Companies do a bang up business in these other countries around the world. If you’ve been on-line for any length of time, you’ve no doubt seen pictures of young children smoking. As these 3rd world nations become more modern and realize the harm being done to their children, when they connect the dots of early cancer deaths to our Tobacco Companies, how do you think they’re going to feel about the United States?

There is a multi-national corporation I am aware of that has 250 thousand employees world wide. A year or so ago, when they passed out bonuses it was discovered that 10% – the upper management – received 90% of the money. The CEO received $5 million in cash and $25 million in stock. He catches the “5 O’clock” elevator at the end of each day. He flies around on a corporate jet. The employees that make this possible, work 14 and 16 hour days. Do you see anything wrong with this? Do you think this CEO would do his job for say… his current salary plus only a $15 million bonus? $10 million? $1 million?

Tell me again why we need to cut taxes for people like this? By the way, why was his bonus structured such that he got $25 million in stock? Stock is only taxed at 13%. What tax rate are you paying? How much is enough money? How many billions do you have to have before you can say, you’ve got enough? Do you realize if you have $1 million dollars and you invest it conservatively, you will make between $80 to $90 thousand a year in interest? You won’t have to touch your principal if you can live off of $80 thousand a year. Now multiply this by the multiple – hundreds – millions some people have. Remember, these people are taxed at only 13% so no matter what happens, they’re fortunes will continue to grow.

I have nothing against this. However, if we must make a choice as to what is best for our Nation and the communities in which we live and the opportunity we’d like to pass on to our children, we need to make some changes. We are allowing this nation to be destroyed through the greed of the few at the top. When you buy a government, you get the people for free. The purpose of the government is to serve the people and provide for the common good. No Mitt, Corporations are not people! What’s best for a corporation is not necessarily best for the people. What is best for the executive management of a corporation is not necessarily best or fair for the employees that make their success possible.

Our infrastructure is crumbling. We’re fighting wars that really are not in our interest. Our educational system is failing. We’re ranked 25th in math, 17th in science and 14th in reading. This should chill your soul. The only true resource on this planet is the human resource. Problems are solved through ingenuity. Our children not only are our future, they will invent our future. If they’re not equipped to compete successfully, our future will be dim indeed.

What threatens our nation is not in the mountains in Afghanistan. It is not in the deserts of Iraq or Iran. It is not Russia, China or the monetary systems they choose to use. What threatens our nation is right here sitting around tables in corporate boardrooms.

That Painful Diploma From Screw-U

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MY THREE PROFESSORS FROM “SCREW U”
by Benjamin T. Moore, Jr.

Yes, I got my Ph.D negotiating those hallowed halls.

Professor #1

He tells you up front, he’s out to take your money, then proceeds to come after you for all he’s worth.

Professor #2

He tells you he’s not out to get your money. Matter of fact, he’s got plenty of his own and hasn’t given your paltry funds a second thought. Problem? He really is after your money and he comes after you even faster than Professor #1.

Professor #3

He sincerely believes he is not out to get your money. However, due to circumstances completely beyond his control… He winds up coming after your money just like professors 1 & 2.

(Attributions to Robert Ringer – Winning Through Intimidation)