TheoMike

Actually, Ann is highly educated and has found a niche and is making a killing with her articles and books. I would say that the fact you people are discussing her as though you know here is evident she has made her point. Also, forrestkc, the quote she made about John Edwards being killed by terrorists was a rebuttal of a statement somebody made about her earlier. You can find plenty of Coulterisms without taking them out of context. I'm not really defending her, she is not one of my favorite columnists. But I defend her right to say what she wants.;

are you saying there are a lot of over weight Canadians?

He's wrong on all the issues I care about. How about tax increases, abortion, immigration, and health care, for starters. Anytime a liberal starts talking about health care, it's time to run for your wallet. He is whatever it takes to win an election, nothing more. I think he's as phony as a three dollar bill and it is very difficult to take him seriously. No insult intended to his supporters, but he doesn't have much going for him, except for his race. You are correct, the issues on which he has taken a stand (and there are few) he tilts way, way to the left, with the exception of homosexuality. He is pro abortion, which is curious since he claims Christianity. He leans toward universal health care ("health care for all"), is considered anti military. This guy is way out of the mainstream.

I tend to go along with forrestkc on this. I cannot imagine anybody wanting to actually weigh that much. But, a small percentage of the general population has real physical problems that make it easy to gain weight and hard to lose it; like a slow metabolism or chemical problems and glandular issues. But I think a lot of people just need to get up and move and take better care of themselves. Not everybody needs to look like a model, but keeping the weight down and the activity up can go a long way to reducing obesity in all ages.

Also today due to insurance regulations, a doctor MUST make a diagnosis in order to bill the insurance company. This explains the "increase" in so-called mental disorders in the general population. Most people don't know this....so a poor guy goes in to see a mental health professional because he's a little depressed, gets diagnosed with manic depression or something and all of a sudden, there goes a right he is entitled to. It's NOT ethical, but happens all the time.

Mensa...bunch of eggheads. I could join if I wanted to. But...I'm too busy.

Well you heard wrong. He was elected to three terms in Arkansas and was one of the most popular governors in the states history. The state was in no way messed up because of him. His successor Jim Guy Tucker was a crook, but Clinton was a popular governor in Arkansas. Like I say, the extent of the real scandals with Clinton was that like half the presidents we have had, he had affairs. The only real complaint most Arkansans had about Clinton while he was the Governor was that they passed a used car sales tax under his watch. He did drastically improve the education system in the state as well. Actually Kat is right. While he was a popular governor, his tenure was marked with scandals. He was also a popular President, but again his administration was full of coverups and dirty deeds. An informative is this one: http://prorev.com/connex.htm There are tons of articles from reputable sources all over the 'net attesting to what he did in Arkansas.

The Metric system is way more efficient in every way over the Imperial system and easier to understand. You just have to get used to it. I recall when Canada made the switch back in 1976, I think it was, lots of old timers were dead set against it and refused to listen to the Canadian weather broadcasts because they were in Celsius. But really, it just takes getting used to.

You're not altogether wrong, although Superior is low, the other lakes are not as low or even normal. But you are right about the runoffs. My father is a Great Lakes expert; he knows their history from the founding of Canada and says there have been periods since 1867 where Superior has been lower than it is today. This wreaks havoc with shipping. Hopefully, as has happened in the past, nature will even things out and the water levels will be back up. Also, a lot of people get their drinking water from Superior and the population around it on both sides of the border has been growing, so that could also be a factor.

They're both slick and know how to work the system, that's for sure.

Coming from Canada, where there are no "dry counties," it's always made me chuckle when I hear about situations like yours. What do your county leaders think they are accomplishing? I mean, if a person wants a drink, they can drive down the highway and get one, right? It's ridiculous and typically American. I don't say that in a demeaning way, by the way.

This is true. We noticed it while we were up there. I don't remember Superior ever being as low as it was. It was kind of strange to see the freighters on the lake half loaded, sitting so high on the water.

Actually, I think Trey is correct. Sex is never bad. Having sex outside of marriage bad.

As always, Trey.

I don't think its the issue of being tax exempt; it's issuing receipts for contributions. Churches are afraid to lose that for fear donations would drop, which is, in my mind, ridiculous. Christians would tithe and give offerings regardless of the tax benefits, would they not?

Because most people don't know how to think for themselves and will simply believe whatever lie the media foists upon them.

I could care less about Bono. I never really cared for U2. But, this topic interests me. He claims to be a Christian and only God knows the man's heart. But, I've been reading another thread here about God using or not using the ungodly to accomplish His will. Somebody mentioned Bill Gates and others. I see a common idea here. http://www.worthyboards.com/index.php?showtopic=62547 Seems like people poo pooed even the possibility that God could use the Masons to do good, are these same critics as adamant that God wouldn't use Bono, Bill Gates, Wal-Mart, etc. to bring about what He wants? I'm interested in your perspective.

Dave, Hollywood was never ours to take back. Is the fact that this world is NOT the believer's home such a difficult concept to grasp? It is a Biblical one. I'll say it one last time: people's hearts are changed by the Lord working IN them, not by imposing our morality ON them. The only thing a government has an obligation to do is provide a peaceful atmosphere where the gospel may be preached. Even that we know will come to an end as the the end draws nearer. Where did Jesus ever tell any of His followers to "take back" anything? Jesus spoke of souls, and winning individuals to the Kingdom. Are we as believers so fixated on the media that we have lost sight of our purpose to bear fruit for the Lord? Are we so afraid of the power of the media that we have come to see it as more powerful than the Word of God? Please understand, I am NOT against believers taking on an activist role and I am not a fatalist. The best thing a believer can do is make sure they're own house is in order by watching what is coming into it. When that happens, then they will be prepared to be used by the Lord to effect a sea change in the lives of their friends and neighbors. There is nothing, no law or legislation, more powerful than a positive witness for Christ. When we are truly doing out jobs, the smut merchants will have nobody to peddle their vile products to.

Hard to beat Spurgeon!

Yes, you are right, forrest. The government--any level of government--is terribly inefficient, but providing national defense is Constitutional. The answer is that Congress must be held to account for every penny they spend. I mean, this is obvious, isn't it? Missing money. My word. How could you misplace so much? I wish they'd "lose" some of it in my direction.

Okay, this is seriously cutting into my pool time, but I feel we are making progress. Yes indeed, the Lord is the Righteous Judge. And He will pass sentence (really, judgment has already been passed) at the end of time. For the moment, His wrath and judgments are being staved off. Yes the Holy Spirit is grieved over man's fallen condition. But by an act of the will man can change his condition; he does not have to stay in his unregenerate condition. He must do this from the inside out, not from the outside in, like being forced to obey "morality laws." While He may be grieved, God will NOT contravene man's choice or his decisions, no matter how bad they may be. Now it is true He did in the OT on ocassion, but this is a different dispensation. Your WW 2 analogy is correct but misused. In that context we were talking about Nazi aggression and the willful extermination or enslavement of an entire continent. You cannot be suggesting that immorality in Hollywood even comes close to this. The thing about movies and TV is that NOBODY is forced to watch or listen. It is an option. Yes, the world, including America is declining and getting worse and worse. Yet at the same time, we are NOT citizens of either realm. The NT teaching is that we are citizens of the Kingdom of God NOW, and as such we can enjoy, in a limited fashion, the benefits of "kingdom living." Things like answered prayer, communion with God, empowerment to resist temptation and so on. Another side benefit of letting go of this world is that, even though times may be dark, for the child of God we can live in joy and hope and expectation. Through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we are able to rise above the mess of society and not be partakers of it, but rather partakers of the Divine Nature, as Paul teaches. I'm talking about an entire attitudinal shift, here, Nebula. The world is not a cheery place, but you can choose to enjoy God's joy, which is not dependent on where you live. And God will show that you can derive joy and contentment, not from TV or music, but from relationships, from simple things like hiking in the mountains, traveling and so on. Do you see what I am getting at? Sin and evil will always abound, but grace abounds so MUCH more. Nebula, every one of us has a past we try to outgrow or perhaps in some cases, outrun. The answer is found within you, not from without. You can legislate every commandment in Scripture, but that will not change your heart or anybody else's. A heart is changed when we allow God to heal it, and that is done through His Word and His Spirit and not from sterilizing your environment. I hope you take my comments in the spirit they were offered.

As a preacher, there is nothing better for me to see than people carrying their Bibles into service. And I love to hear the pages rustling after I announce the text and location. Pew Bibles are fine, but I recommend carrying your own, so you can make notes, get familiar with where the books are and so on.

Well, to be honest I am not sure the Holy Spirit is all that interested in the Court's decision. I don't mean to be flippant, and please don't misquote me, but I am pretty sure the Lord is far more concerned about how we as believers are living our lives in a fallen world than with how the fallen world is living. This world, though created by God, is under the temporary dominion of Satan, so I am reasonably sure God already knows what to expect from those in bondage to the world's system. I feel as though somehow you are missing this. Are you wanting "convert" the whole country to our way of thinking, from the top down, legislatively? You must know this goes against the teaching of Scripture that clearly tells us what the last days will be like. You have reasoned yourself into a corner nobody can get out of. In your view, the world must be dark and awful. For those of us not caught up in Hollywood, who control what we see and hear, the world has much good in it. I'm sorry you can't see that.

Right on.

I'm not the political junkie my wife is, but from what I have read tax cuts don't increase deficits, it's spending that increases deficits, and on that point we totally agree. The trouble with Washington is that when they see a dollar floating around, they have to spend it. The thing that is killing this country is not defense spending it's funding the all the crazy entitlements. You are right: people want everything. Yet, truthfully, people shouldn't be entitled to anything except peace and freedom to go out and find legal ways to acquire what the need and want. We live in the greatest land in the world, we don't need the government to give us things. We'll have to disagree on Iraq and defense for the moment; I see a strong defense as a vital job for the Federal government, but again you are right on the awful Medicare Drug Benefit. As bad as it is right now, it is a time bomb waiting to sink the economy in a few years. Yes, get the government out of our lives.