Presidential Debate 2016 Fair or Not?

Were NBC's questions to the presidential candidates fair and equal? Not really? The hard questions for Hillary Clinton weren't asked. Lester Holt didn't ask her about the email scandal, Benghazi, nor corruption in the Clinton Foundation.

Plus, many important issues like immigration, vetting refugees, building a wall, and supreme court justices weren't mentioned. Those questions weren't asked. Debates can't inform people about the candidates stance on important issues, if those questions are left out.

When the media doesn't use a balanced scale in questioning the candidates, it sets itself in a dishonest and hypocritical position. Dishonesty isn't lacking in politics. But the moderator should promote an honest debate by asking serious questions about serious topics to both candidates.

The moderator should not show bias towards either candidate. He shouldn't show preference for a candidate. Do you think that Lester Holt and NBC stood up to the test of being fair and treating the candidates equally? Be your own judge of that, but I don' think so.

Looting is Stealing

Looting doesn't solve problems. Its real name is stealing. Sometimes the looters are hurting their own ethnic group. That was the case in Ferguson, Missouri when two businesses owned by African American women were trashed and property taken.

Natalie DuBose owns Natalie's Cakes and More. It was damaged. She is in business now because of local people that came to lend a hand and donate and because of people that donated at Go Fund Me. The Fashions R Boutique owned by Juanita Morris was looted too. She also got help from donations at Go Fund  Me.

Here are some Bible quotes about stealing.

The 8th commandment: "Thou shalt not steal."

Catholic thought says that the 8th commandment is part of loving your neighbor as yourself.

Mark 10:19
"You know the commandments: 'Do not murder,' 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not give false testimony,' 'Do not defraud,' 'Honor your father and mother.'"  Mathew 15:19
"For out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimony, and blasphemies."

It is wrong to steal and destroy people's property. Destroying is like stealing because the robber is causing the owner to loose money. The building has to be repaired. The supplies have to be replaced. 

Though there may be problems in a community that need solving, rioting and looting aren't solutions to said problems. 

Let all Christians pray for peace and constructive solving of difficulties.

Word Police Misguided

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At various universities, an official or a student group have made a list of words that should not be used. These words are deemed offensive to groups or individuals. Recently, the word "lame" was put on the list. Originally meaning someone that couldn't walk, then as slang it meant stupid, unoriginal, unsophisticated.

The problem with the word police is that they don't understand that meanings change with the times. It's a from the ground up usage change. It just happens among the people. Nothing can change that. We don't need mind control through word control.

But some people have been trying to do just that. Enter bias-free language books. Using words to hurt people is wrong. But this correcting of how people speak and write has gone to an extreme that is nauseous. These words police would do better if they put their energy and effort into something constructive.

Proverbs 16:24
 "Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones."

Proverbs took care of the problem centuries ago. Just be pleasant in speech, then you won't say anything truly offensive. These days flagrant use of prejudiced or biased words is rare.

But the word police are obsessed to the point of being ridiculous. They have coined the term microaggressions. You know it's à la  1984 when it's considered offensive to ask someone where they are from because their name sounds foreign. Well, isn't it a microaggression to ask that question?

If people want to be concerned about language usage, how about being ashamed and offended by foul language and using God's name disrespectfully such as OMG or oh my god.

But trying to control pronoun usage and nitpicking commonly used words and phrases is beyond the pale.

Bible Mouth Tongue

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The Lord God said to have a pure mouth. There are many verses in the old and new testaments that comment on the good and bad uses of the mouth, tongue, ie; speaking. The Bible says it is a shame to use the same tongue to curse creation and praise the Lord. 

So a christian curses someone. That is a weakness he had before becoming a christian. But he still has this weakness and needs to renew his mind with God's word to stop cursing.

Romans 12:2

"Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God." 

How to Transform the Mouth

• commit bible verses concerning mouth to memory
• say verses out loud each day
• ask God to help you 

 If you memorize bible verses you can say them to yourself when you need to.
Your faith will increase by saying the verses out loud according to Romans 10:17.

Romans 10:17
"So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." You must be diligent in studying God's word. Through persistence you can use the word to cleanse your mind and heart.King Solomon said in proverbs to guard your heart.  Proverbs 4:23 "Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it is the wellspring of life." Being the wellspring of life means that all that you say, do, and think comes from your heart. It is like a river flowing into tributaries. Ask Jesus to help your cleanse your mouth from gossip, slander, cursing, and using His name in vain. Psalm 141:3"Set a watch, Yahweh, before my mouth. Keep the door of my lips."

 Proverbs15:4

 " A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but deceit in it crushes the spirit."

James 3:10

 "Out of the same mouth comes blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so."
  The quoted bible verses and many others can help you guard your mouth, which is something we all need to do. 

"Nones," Leave Christianity, Religious Affiliation

A 2014 Pew Study says that 23% of the U.S. adults have no religious affiliation. But of these, 61% confess a belief in a higher power or God. These people are called "nones." It shows that "nones" are becoming more secular. Atheists and agnostics are in this group too. The designation comes from the none of the above category in the polls.

John T. Elson wrote the Time article "Is God Dead?' 50 years ago. He said that some seminaries and churches were dispensing with the concept of God as divine. But when the mystical is left out of the God equation, what is really left of God?

That's not to say that he believed God was dead. He coordinated a huge amount of research before he write the article. The 6-page article covered theological disputations and how some people's faith had changed.

 Reasons People Leave Christianity

Opulence erodes the feeling and thought of needing God and church. Riches, being comfortable, these things can be a distraction for people. This is why Jesus told the young man that told him he had obeyed the commandments from his youth to sell his stuff and give the money to the poor and follow him. The young man walked away sad. His heart was attached to his money.

Some people can handle money and put it in perspective better than others. Jesus knew that young man couldn't do it.

Some people have left because because they find it boring. Others because they say a church has become too flashy. Some can't put science and faith together and see they don't contradict each other.

I think we have to look into and beyond these reasons to conclude that we want to know God and that faith is important in our lives.

Dwight Longenecker posits in his article "American Atheistic Materialism: A Creed of Despair"  that materialists are left with just material reality, whereas, Christians have the material and the spiritual because the beauty of nature, all of God's creation and the magnificence  of God are theirs.

He goes on to say that what people need isn't the drive to make church more socially relevant, but returning to the deeper spiritual meaning. This is what people are hungry for.

Dwight Longenecker is quoted below from his article "American Atheistic Materialism: A Creed of Despair."

"return to mysticism and monasticism, contemplation, prophecy, poetry and prayer. Only then will the metaphysical well up within the physical, and only then will we turn from materialistic atheism—not by force of argument, but by the irresistible experience of beauty."

There are still more reasons why people leave church, but the dominant materialism of the U.S.A.  is certainly a prominent one. Longenecker is correct that it is a philosophy of despair. As he said everything alive in the material world will die and decay is its destiny, with only that to look forward to despair is inevitable, even if people try to hold back despair by more gain and fun.

Children's Remembrance Day, September 10, 2016,

The National Day of Children's Remembrance is September 10, 2016. Many places will have memorial services. This is the 4th annual remembrance day. There will be prayer vigils and speakers.

You can go to Prayer Vigil Locations and see where and the time of the events.

This annual day of respect and love for these aborted children is organized by Priests for Life, Pro-Life Action League, and Citizens for a Pro-life Society.

Wisdom Bible Meaning, Wisdom Above Gold

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What the world needs now is wisdom. Wisdom comes from God.

 Proverbs 2:6
 "For Yahweh gives wisdom. Out of his mouth comes knowledge and understanding." 

We live in a chaotic world. The world's wisdom hasn't stopped the carnage, the hatred, the lust. Its wisdom has caused millions of babies to be murdered. Its wisdom has increased lust. It says sex outside of marriage is okay. The world is at war in diverse places and on edge all over.

Bible Meaning for Wisdom 
 
Dr. Charles Stanley stated in an interview with Craig von Buseck of CBN that "the Bible says that wisdom is knowing and doing what is right." That is a perfect explanation of  wisdom in the Bible. One gains wisdom from the Bible and lives accordingly. The application of the biblical knowledge is the real key to living wisely.

Proverbs 9:10  
"The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom. The knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." It is a reverential fear. This means a profound respect for God, the word, and his sacraments. His word says that He favors obedience more than sacrifice. Being obedient brings wisdom as you see how this improves you. And when trouble comes, you have the Lord with you.

 To gain wisdom, you must want it. That means using self-discipline to study and live by what you learn. By applying biblical principles to your life, handling daily situations by what He says is right. You need to want to understand God's method of living and do that. It isn't just intellectual understanding.

Proverbs 16:16 
"How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! Yes, to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver." 

Gold, silver, and money are limited to use in this world. Even their uses here are limited. Wealth won't give you wisdom. It can't save your soul. Yes, it has its uses, but pursue God and He will supply your needs.