Ron Paul has been such an internet phenonemon, so much so the following makes me nervous.  I believe it is important to elect leaders with moral values and constitutional principles, but the way many of Paul's supporters place their hope in one man and put him on a pedastal is quite disturbing.  With some, it almost borders a type of worship.  I do not believe he will ride in on a white horse and single handedly save America.  Also, his position on the war and his blaming of America for 9-11 are quite disturbing. 

He claims the war is against the founders' principles.

Today's war is not disregarding the founders' foreign policy.  Fighting against the Japanese, Germans, and Italians was not a disregard to the founders' ideas.  Just as landings on the beaches of Africa, Japanese islands, and Normandy during WWII were not a disregard, and the foreign entanglements against Islamic pirates under the founders' watch were not violations of the founders' intent, and neither is killing terrorists in Iraq.  The reason being, I believe, is American interests were at stake.  It wasn't as if we were getting involved in foreign entanglements on behalf of foreign countries, but rather to defend America's interest even though the use of force was abroad.

Security of shipping routes near Tripoli under the founders' watch was necessary for America's interests, preventing Hitler, Tojo, and Mussolini from global domination, especially since we were attacked and war was declared on us, was necessary for America's interests, and killing terrorists in the middle east, whether it is Iraq or any other front is necessary for America's interests.
Whether you believe there were WMD in Iraq or not, the fact remains our guys are fighting Al-Qaeda in Iraq right now.  Killing Al-Qaeda is in the best interests of America and is necessary for our safety and security.

As evil as Japanese Imperialism, Nazism, and Communism were, even the Japanese who would fight to the death without surrender were able to be brought to surrender.  Germans, when defeated, signed surrender treaties, and German commanders cooperated with American commanders at the end of the war.  Communists were able to be negotiated with, although the threat of severe force was part of it, they were able to negotiate.  Although evil, they were able to be firmly negotiated with and the Cold War was won without firing a shot.

However, this type of surrender or negotiating can never happen with Islamofascists.  They, even moreso than the Japanese, will fight to the death.  They will not give in, surrender, or compromise.  Therefore, the only way to defeat them is to kill them.  It is not to understand them and do what they want and hope they won't attack again.  It is not to listen to OBL tapes and wonder what would not have happened if only we did something different within their wishes.  It is not to listen to their demands and comply to avoid futher attacks.  It is to kill them.   

What would Ron Paul do?  If he would get our guys out of Iraq without cutting and running, what is his plan?  Has he given any idea?  I haven't heard any.  Nancy Pelosi shrieked her foreign policy on Iraq was to get out of Iraq.  Nothing was elaborated.  Similarly, Paul said we need to be out of Iraq, but I have not heard any elaboration as to what he would do if he were elected.  Has anyone else? 

Would he be able to reach an honorable withdraw like Nixon did with Vietnam and could he gaurantee his efforts wouldn't be undercut by Dems and lead to soldiers having died in vain?  We keep hearing to learn from our past mistakes.  We also keep hearing how Iraq is the new Vietnam.  Nixon got our guys out of Vietnam honorable, but then Saigon fell due to the congressional Dems.  Would this happen again with Iraq?

Does anyone know what Ron Paul would do?

These gun control fanatics are nuts.  Not only are their beliefs crazy and representative of an erosion of freedom, but they are nothing more than meaningless feel good laws.  There is no reason you shouldn't be able to keep your Cutlass, especially since it is of sentimental value and of the military no less, which preserves the rights gun control people are trying to take away.

With their mentality, if only we had laws on boxcutters, to include five day waiting periods, background checks, limited ownership, and mandatory locks on the blades 9-11 never would have happened.

Regarding what is appropriate as a Christian, I look at video games the same way I do books, movies, and shows.  I try to avoid profanity as much as possible, but in today's day and age, it is almost impossible to avoid it completely.  Violence is an area in which I believe it is on a case by case basis.  Boxing or any sports violence I believe is acceptable, as well as historical violence such as war or any type of clash of good and evil.  For instance, I am a big fan of movies such as We Were Soldiers, Band of Brothers, Blackhawk Down, and movies depicting our military and the heroic sacrifices they made and still make.  As far as violence I want to avoid, gangster violence or anything of this nature, such as video games with senseless killing of innocent people on the road I believe are not appropriate.  I also believe sexual content is something which should be avoided. 

It all comes down to this though.  Pray about it.  Pray and ask God if the video game or whatever activity is appropriate.  If it is not, you will feel a conviction in your heart when you play or watch it.  I don't believe we have to avoid all worldly activities, but make sure none are being placed above God and none are hindering our relationship with him.  I also believe some things may be acceptable for some but not for others like the issue about eating the meat and not causing your brother to stumble.

[On another forum, I posted this in the religious section on a thread started by another poster, which was titled:Are Healings Real?]

On another forum, I posted this in the religious section on a thread started by another poster, which was titled:

Are Healings Real?

I believe healing is according to faith and also the will of God.  If you pray, you should have faith for your requests to be met.  However, it also has to be the will of God.  For example, Joni Erickson Tada suffered an injury which rendered her a quadrapalegic.  She is a devout Christian, and has not been healed to rise and walk, but as a quadrapalegic she has touched countless lives and inspired many people.  Where would her ministry be without this injury?  Maybe it still would be successful, but maybe God has used a bad thing for good purposes.  This is one of the reasons I don't believe in Benny Hinn.  He will tell people to rise and walk out of a wheelchair and when the person cannot, Hinn claims the one not healed does not have enough faith or has not accounted for a certain sin.  Paul wrote letters of the New Testament while in shackles and chains and in prison, in fact, on death row so to speak.  Yet, he rejoiced.  It is not easy for any of us, but it is important to remember God is in control.  I do believe, however, if the person has faith and it is God's will, they can be healed.

In September of 2005, I tore my Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) in my knee.  The kneecap also dislocated four times this day.  I had to keep it straight and not attempt to bend it at all over the next several days.  Keeping the leg straight will hold the kneecap in place and not allow it to move or dislocate.  I could feel it trying to do so, but I kept the leg straight and tried to ignore the jello like movement of the kneecap trying to move to the right.  After the first few days, the kneecap stabilized and would not dislocate anymore or even try to do so.  However, the knee swelled up and I could not hardly bend it at all.  I could not put any pressure on it, wore a leg brace and had to use crutches.  The orthopedic surgeon said the MCL usually will heal without surgery, but it would take a while with a lot of therapy.  Some of the therapy consisted of easy exercises while other portions consisted of painful stretching to loosen up the scar tissue, which would not allow my leg to bend.  Over time, I was able to bend it more and more until I walked a little at a time starting with baby steps and using a leg brace.  After a few months, I could walk normally, but gingerly.

Three days before Christmas of 2005, I was walking around normally and convinced the leg was as good as new.  I accidently stepped on a coworker's foot and my knee buckled.  After three months of therapy and limiting my activity during a long healing process, I felt I was back at the start.  I was heartbroken.  My knee within minutes swelled up, I couldn't bend it, and I couldn't bear any weight on it.  I went to a workman's comp doctor who not only had an orthopedic background, but she was considered one of the best in the area.  She took x-rays, but could not do an MRI until the swelling went down.  She was convinced, based on her past experiences and the symptoms of my knee and how it felt when she tugged on it, I had torn my Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL).  This ligament usually does require surgery and the therapy is much more intense and painful than with the MCL.  After a week, I was scheduled to go back to the workman's comp clinic before being referred to the orthopedic surgeon I had been seing since September.  This time it was a different doctor who also was thoroughly convinced I had torn my ACL.

I was reading Your Best LIfe Now by Pastor Joel Osteen at the time.  I read the chapter of Pastor Joel speaking of his mother years ago being diagnosed with terminal cancer and given a few weeks to live at the most.  While everyone cried and mourned, Mrs. Osteen said to stop and have faith.  She prayed with faith and spoke words of healing over her body in the Name of Christ.  That was twenty years ago and she is alive and cancer free now.

I felt I should do so with my knee.  Remember, God can take a bad situation and use it for the good.  As I prayed over my knee and spoke words of healing, SOF did as well.  Shortly after my last appointment, I came down with one of the worst cases of the flu ever had.  SOF got sick a few days after that.  As we prayed day after day, one day we were lying in bed and watching a movie.  She said my knee didn't look swollen anymore.  With both injuries, I could not lift my heal off the ground while sitting with my hamstrings flat on the floor.  The day before, I could not either and had swelling.  When I saw the knee wasn't swollen anymore, I tried to lift my foot and was able to get it a few inches off the mattress.  Later that night, I could lift it further.  Eachj day I could lift it further until about four days later I was doing leg lifts and could walk normally with a full range of motion.  It felt better than it did even right before my second injury.

When I went to the orthopedic surgeon he said, "I am sorry about what happened.  I heard you reinjured your knee and after looking at the reports I am most convinced you have torn your ACL.  We are probably going to have to operate.  I jumped off the patient table I was sitting on and landed in a standing position with my legs slightly bent.  I starting doing squats.  The doctor had an amazed look on his face and told me to sit back down.  He tugged on my leg and said if the ACL was torn the leg would give way, but the resistence showed the ACL was fully in tact.  He could not explain it and said it was almost impossible for an injury of this magnitude to heal so quickly, especially with the first injury taking as long as it did.

To this day, I am fully convinced my ACL was torn and God healed me with the healing power of my Savior, Jesus Christ.  God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.  The same Christ who healed the blind, the sick, the lepers, and the bleeding woman healed my knee.  Nobody can or ever will convince me otherwise.

Guard Against Bitterness

Today's Scripture

“When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown” Isaiah 43:2 (TLB).

Today's Word from Joel and Victoria

Have you ever experienced something that truly tested your faith, your joy and your convictions? We're not talking about just having a bad day or having to deal with difficult people - but enduring an intense situation that rocks you to your very core. When many people face such soul-searching they let their happiness and joy turn into bitterness and anger. Make sure this doesn't happen to you. Don't give the evil one the victory by becoming an ineffective Christian due to lingering bitterness. Even if you're being tested, God has promised to remain faithful. He is all-powerful, and He can pull you out of your troubles at any moment. Choose to remain faithful and joyous despite your present circumstances.

A Prayer for Today

God, please help me to trust You and not give in to bitterness or anger, even in the middle of my trials. Thank You for the promise of Your never-failing love. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

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