PRESIDENT WITHOUT A COUNTRY

A friend sent me this recently. I submit it without comment and only ask that you read it and think about it. Makes no difference if you are for or not for this President, the facts in this article cannot be denied.

THE PRESIDENT WITHOUT A COUNTRY

By Pat Boone "We're no longer a Christian nation." - President Barack Obama, June 2007

"America has been arrogant." - President Barack Obama

"After 9/11, America didn't always live up to her ideals."- President Barack Obama "You might say that America is a Muslim nation."- President Barack Obama, Egypt 2009

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Thinking about these and other statements made by the man who wears the title of president, I keep wondering what country he believes he's president of.
In one of my very favorite stories, Edward Everett Hale's "The Man without a Country," a young Army lieutenant named Philip Nolan stands condemned for treason during the Revolutionary War, having come under the influence of Aaron Burr. When the judge asks him if he wishes to say anything before sentence is passed, young Nolan defiantly exclaims, "Damn the United States ! I wish I might never hear of the United States again!" The stunned silence in the courtroom is palpable, pulsing. After a long pause, the judge soberly says to the angry lieutenant: "You have just pronounced your own sentence. You will never hear of the United States again.. I sentence you to spend the rest of your life at sea, on one or another of this country's naval vessels - under strict orders that no one will ever speak to you again about the country you have just cursed." And so it was. Philip Nolan was taken away and spent the next 40 years at sea, never hearing anything but an occasional slip of the tongue about America.. The last few pages of the story, recounting Nolan's dying hours in his small stateroom - now turned into a shrine to the country he fore swore - never fail to bring me to tears. And I find my own love for this dream, this miracle called America , refreshed and renewed. I know how blessed and unique we are. But reading and hearing the audacious, shocking statements of the man who was recently elected our president - a young black man living the impossible dream of millions of young Americans, past and present, black and white - I want to ask him, "Just what country do you think you're president of?" You surely can't be referring to the United States of America , can you? America is emphatically a Christian nation, and has been from its inception! Seventy percent of her citizens identify themselves as Christian. The Declaration of Independence and our Constitution were framed, written and ratified by Christians. It's because this was, and is, a nation built on and guided by Judeo-Christian biblical principles that you, sir, have had the inestimable privilege of being elected her president. You studied law at Harvard, didn't you, sir? You taught constitutional law in Chicago ? Did you not ever read the statement of John Jay, the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and an author of the landmark "Federalist Papers": "Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers - and it is the duty, as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation - to select and prefer Christians for their rulers"? In your studies, you surely must have read the decision of the Supreme Court in 1892: "Our lives and our institutions must necessarily be based upon and embody the teachings of the Redeemer of mankind. It is impossible that it should be otherwise; and in this sense and to this extent our civilization and our institutions are emphatically Christian." Did your professors have you skip over all the high-court decisions right up till the mid 1900's that echoed and reinforced these views and intentions? Did you pick up the history of American jurisprudence only in 1947, when for the first time a phrase coined by Thomas Jefferson about a "wall of separation between church and state" was used to deny some specific religious expression - contrary to Jefferson' s intent with that statement? Or, wait a minute . were your ideas about America 's Christianity formed during the 20 years you were a member of the Trinity United Church of Christ under your pastor, Jeremiah Wright? Is that where you got the idea that " America is no longer a Christian nation"? Is this where you, even as you came to call yourself a Christian, formed the belief that " America has been arrogant"? Even if that's the understandable explanation of your damning of your country and accusing the whole nation (not just a few military officials trying their best to keep more Americans from being murdered by jihadists) of "not always living up to her ideals," how did you come up with the ridiculous, alarming notion that we might be "considered a Muslim nation"? Is it because there are some 2 million or more Muslims living here, trying to be good Americans? Out of a current population of over 300 million, 70 percent of whom are Christians? Does that make us , by any rational definition, a "Muslim nation"? Why are we not, then, a "Chinese nation"? A "Korean nation"? Even a "Vietnamese nation"? There are even more of these distinct groups in America than Muslims. And if the distinction you're trying to make is a religious one, why is America not "a Jewish nation"? There's actually a case to be made for the latter, because our Constitution - and the success of our Revolution and founding - owe a deep debt to our Jewish brothers. Have you stopped to think what an actual Muslim America would be like? Have you ever really spent much time in Iran? Even in Egypt? You, having been instructed in Islam as a kid at a Muslim school in Indonesia and saying you still love the call to evening prayers, can surely picture our nation founded on the Quran, not the Judeo-Christian Bible, and living under Shariah law. Can't you? You do recall Muhammad's directives [Surah 9:5,73] to "break the cross" and "kill the infidel"? It seems increasingly and painfully obvious that you are more influenced by your upbringing and questionable education than most suspected. If you consider yourself the president of a people who are "no longer Christian," who have "failed to live up to our ideals," who "have been arrogant," and might even be "considered Muslim" - you are president of a country most Americans don't recognize. Could it be you are a president without a country?

Pray for our President and leaders in our nation's capitol, as well as our state and local leaders. Revival must come to our Nation. Let no one be mistaken--we are still a Christian Nation! God Bless us all.

IS THERE SUCH A THING AS "FAIR TAX"

The "Fair Tax" is the only way to tax everyone in a fair manner. The Fair Tax is replacement, not reform. It will replace the current tax system and eleminate the need for the IRS and tax forms that get more complicated every year. I have been following this for a few years now and am convinced it can be passed. Do women have the right to vote? Did we pass Prohibition? Did we repeal it? It took grassroot efforts and that is what it will take to pass the Fair Tax.
I am attaching to this post a Fair Tax FAQ. I encourage you to read it closely and if you have any questions please feel free to contact me. Better yet, go to www.fairtax.org for complete information and add your name to the list of those who stand behind change for the better. I can't encourage you enough to get behind this and pass the word along to your friends. Direct them to this blog, sight so they can read what you are reading-- www.insightjoe.blogspot.com.

Fair Tax Frequently Asked Questions

[1] What is taxed? The Fair Tax is a single-rate, federal retail sales tax collected only once, at the point of purchase of new good and services for personal consumption. Used items are not taxed. Business-to-business purchases for the production of goods and services are not taxed. A rebate makes the effective rate progressive.
[2] Exactly what taxes are abolished? The Fair Tax is replacement, not reform. It replaces federal income taxes including personal, estate, gift, capital gains, alternative minimum, Social Security, Medicare, self-employment, and corporate taxes.
[3] How does the rebate work? All valid Social Security cardholders that are U.S. residents receive monthly rebate equivalent to the Fair Tax paid on essential goods and services, also known as poverty level expenditures. The rebate is paid in advance, in equal installments each month. See below for example of the rebate:
Family Mthly. Rebate MthlyRebate
Size (Single) (Married)
1 $NA $183
2 $246 $367
3 $308 $429
4 $371 $492
5 $433 $554
6 $496 $617
7 $558 $679
8 $621 $742

[4] Is the 23% Fair Tax revenue-neutral rate higher or lower when compared to income and Social Security taxes people pay today? Most people are paying that much or more today - part of it is hidden from view. The income tax bracket most people fall into is 15%, and wager earners pay 7.65% in payroll taxes. That’s 23% right there without taking into account the 7.65% employer matching! On top of that, you have to add in all of the hidden taxes embedded in the price of everything you buy, from goods (averaging 22%) to services (averaging 25%).
Effective tax rates vs. stated tax rates.
Because the 23% Fair Tax rate of $0.23 on every dollar spent is not imposed on necessities, an individual spending $28,808 pays an effective tax rate of only 15.6%, not 23%. This same individual will pay 17.3% of his or her income to federal taxes under current law.
[5] Does the Fair Tax rate need to be much higher to be revenue neutral? The proper tax rate has been carefully worked out; 23% does the job of: [a] raising the same amount of federal taxes as are raised by the current system, [b] paying the universal rebate, and [c] paying the collection fee to retailers and state governments. Detailed calculations are available from FairTax.org.
[6] How is the Social Security system affected? Like all federal spending programs, Social Security operates exactly as it does today, except that its funds come from a broad, progressive sales tax rather than a narrow, regressive payroll tax. Employers continue to report wages for each employee though, to the Social Security Administration for determination of benefits.
[7] How does the Fair Tax affect Social Security reform? The Fair Tax plan does not change Social Security benefits or the structure of the Social Security system. All it does is replace the current revenue source (narrow, regressive payroll taxes) with a new revenue source (broad, progressive sales taxes paid by all consumers).
[8] Is consumption a reliable source of revenue? Yes, in fact, consumption is a more stable source of revenue than income. A recent study has shown that the Fair Tax base is less variable than the income tax base. Again, see FairTax.org for more information on this matter.

[9] How is the tax collected? Retail businesses collect the tax from the consumer, just as state sales tax systems already do in 45 states; the Fair Tax is simply an additional line on the current sales tax reporting form. Retailers simply collect the tax and send it to the state taxing authority. All businesses serving as collection agents receive a fee for collection, and the states also receive a collection fee.
[10] Why is the Fair Tax better than our current system? Our present tax system is one of the reasons that people are finding it so difficult to get ahead these days. The income tax is holding us back and making it more difficult than it needs to be to improve our families’ standard of living. It makes it needlessly difficult for our businesses to compete in international markets. It wastes vast resources on complying with needless paperwork.
[11] Is the Fair Tax fair? Yes, and in fact, much fairer than the income tax. Rich people spend more money than other individuals. They buy expensive cars, big houses and yachts. They buy filet mignon instead of hamburger, fine wine instead of beer, designer dresses, and expensive jewelry. The Fair Tax taxes them on these purchases. If, however, they use their money to build job-creating factories, finance research and development to create new products, or fund charitable activities (all of which help improve the standard of living of others), then those activities are not taxes.
[12] How does the Fair Tax protect low-income and lower-middle-income families and individuals? Under the Fair Tax plan, poor people pay no net Fair Tax at all up to the poverty level. Every household receives a rebate that is equal to the Fair tax paid on essential goods and services. The Fair Tax dramatically improves economic growth and wage rates for all, but especially for lower income families and individuals. In addition to receiving the monthly Fair Tax rebate, these taxpayers are freed from regressive payroll taxes, the federal income tax, and the compliance burden associated with each. They pay no more hidden taxes on good or services, and used good are tax-free.
[13] What about senior citizens, retired people, and anyone on a fixed income? Seniors, like everyone else, receive a monthly rebate, in advance of their purchases, for taxes paid on the cost of necessities. If seniors choose to work, they are freed from regressive payroll taxes, the federal income tax on wages, and the compliance burdens associates with each. See FairTax.org for more details of this.
[14] Should the government tax medicine and health care? Because federal income and payroll taxes are embedded in the price of everything you buy, you are already paying federal taxes on prescriptions and other health care services that you buy today - they are just hidden.
[15] How does the Fair Tax affect income tax preparers, accountants, and many government employees? There will, of course, still be some people who are involved in sales tax return preparation and sales tax administration under the Fair Tax, but many fewer than those involved under the income tax today. These are well educated and well equipped with transferable skills, and will have to find more productive work. The projects 10.5% growth in the economy during the first year of Fair Tax will provide plenty of new jobs.
[16] What will happen to charitable giving? Charitable contributions depend on one factor more than any other: The health of the economy (not tax benefits). For all the money that pours into churches every Sunday and into a broad range of charities every day, only the 30% who itemize get any tax benefit. The other 70% have given and are giving with no tax benefit whatsoever. The majority of people do not base their giving on tax benefits but rather the desire to give.
[17] Can the Fair Tax really be passed into law? Do women have the right to vote in this country? Did we pass Prohibition? Did we repeal it? These types of grassroots efforts effected significant changes in our nation and world. Is the current income tax system any less a yoke around the necks of otherwise free people? We think not! Passing the original 16th Amendment and the income tax wasn’t easy and repealing the income tax and the 16th Amendment won’t be easy either. It will only happen when the American people rally behind the effort, throw off the yoke, and demand rectification for 90 years of wrongs done by the income tax.
For more “Frequently Asked Questions” and further information detailing the Fair Tax Plan, go to www.FairTax.org.

THE WIDER COMMUNITY

I thought I'd heard it all until I read this post from the Pastor's Weekly Briefing of July 31. See what you think----------------

Overweight and Bald People Designated as "Special Needs"
According to a Church of England book published this week, overweight and bald people should be regarded as worshippers with "special needs" alongside the blind, the deaf, breast-feeding mothers, very short people and readers of tabloid newspapers. It warns that bald people could be "in trouble from those overhead radiant heaters some churches have unwittingly installed." Also, "Some pew spaces and chairs are embarrassingly inadequate for what is known in church circles as 'the wider community'," the books says. [Telegraph.co.uk]
Interesting, to say the least. I'm not sure how "readers of tabloid newspapers" fits in here. I guess maybe they have special psychiatric needs for believing all that gopelty-goop. As for the bald heads--that may not be the rump roast in the church kitchen burning after all. It may be those shining beacons of hairless wonders in the pulpit.
As for the "overweight" category--Let's start a class and call it "The Wider Community" class. We will use as our class scripture Proverbs 28:25. Have to read it in the King James version to get the full meaning--Proverbs 28:25 "....he that puts his trust in the LORD shall be made fat." We will have extra-wide chairs with very soft cushions and we will dine on the Word of God. (By the way, I'm not making sport of overweight people--I are one too). "The Wider Community"--I like that!

WHO WILL GO MY BAIL?

When a sermon I preach happens to include something about the homosexual lifestyle being touted today, it is not against Homosexuals. Rather it is against homosexuality--against sin. But if someone were to read my sermon on line or see it on this blog and decide to go beat up a homosexual or kill one (I certainly DO NOT condone either action even being considered), then I could be arrested and held accountable for their ungodly act. Even though my intentions would be to tell the truth in order to combat the lies which are sending so many people away from God, thinking they are living in His grace. Lies that twist the word of God to change what He calls sin into something He accepts. If I didn't have God's love within me for the people caught up in this sin then I wouldn't bother with them. My desire is to see them recognize that what they are doing is a sin and give it to God. I am told they were born that way. Well, I was born in sin just like the Bible says all of us were. So since I was born in sin I guess God thinks it's OK for me to live in sin since He made me born that way. Makes about as much sense, doesn't it.
At any rate, I hope you all will take up a collection first time I'm jailed for preaching the truth, and go my bail. Otherwise, I've learned a lot of good songs to sing while I'm there. I'll take my cue from Paul and Peter and Silas, etc. We are to obey the laws of the land to the point that they do not go against the Word of God. I will not stop preaching the Word of God and the truth in it no matter what the consequences! Read this article from Pastor's Weekly Briefing of July 24---

Senate OKs 'Hate-Crimes' Legislation
The U.S. Senate approved a sweeping federal "hate-crimes" law by a voice vote last week. The legislation creates a new class of crimes based on the victim's gender, sexual orientation or "gender identity." And, pastors who preach against homosexuality could face prosecution if they are found to have "induced" a hate crime against a self-identified homosexual by preaching from the Bible. The House passed a similar bill in April, and President Barack Obama supports the legislation. [CitizenLink.com]

HELL WON'T BE HOT ENOUGH

I recently read an article from the Pastor's Weekly Briefing from July 24. Have you ever waxed down a slippery slide to make yourself slide much faster down it? Well, that's what some people are doing by listening to the folk who are working for the devil in this world. They are waxing the slide to hell and hell itself won't be hot enough for them in answer for what they are doing to so many people. Read this article and you'll see why my righteous indignation has been sparked once again-------------------------

"De-Baptism" Ceremonies Renounce Childhood Faith
In a type of mock Atheistic ceremony that's now been performed in at least four states, a robed "priest" uses a hairdryer marked "reason" in an apparent bid to blow away the waters of baptism once and for all from those who once believed in religion, but now reject it. Several dozen participants then feed on a "de-sacrament" (crackers with peanut butter) and receive certificates assuring they have "freely renounced a previous mistake, and accepted Reason over Superstition."
Within the past year, "de-baptism" ceremonies have attracted as many as 250 participants at atheist conventions in Ohio, Texas, Florida and Georgia. More have taken place on college campuses in recent years, according to Hemant Mehta, chair of the board of directors for the Secular Student Alliance, a group that promotes atheism among high school and college students.
"It was very therapeutic." said participant Jennifer Gray. "It was a chance to laugh at the silly things I used to believe as a child. It helped me admit that it was OK to think the way I think and to not have any religious beliefs." [Religion News Service]
Did anyone hear me scream!!!!!!!!!

Woa!! The ACLU did what?

The Pastor's Weekly Briefing from July 17 caught me off guard. The ACLU actually did something worthwhile on behalf of Christianity. Read on---
ACLU Defends Religious Material
Officials at a corrections facility in Virginia received a letter from The American Civil Liberties Union (backed by groups including Prison Fellowship and the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty) asking them to guarantee in writing that the jail will no longer censor letters written to detainees simply because they contain religious material. The letter was prompted by a complaint from a mother whose son was detained at the facility. Her three-page letter to him was reduced to the salutation, the first paragraph and the closing, after officials extracted biblical passages. "Such censorship violates both the rights of detainees to practice religion freely and the free speech rights of those wanting to communicate with detainees," said a staff attorney with the ACLU national Prison Project. [ChristianPost.com]
That particular unit of the ACLU better watch out. They keep doing good stuff and they may get kicked out. More power, guys & gals! God bless you!

THAT'S WHY I'M FAT!

I found this article from the July 10 Pastor to Pastor to hit home since I am getting married September 20th.

Does Marriage Make You Fat?

A new study from the University of North Carolina showed that within a few short years of getting hitched, married individuals are twice as likely to become obese than single people who are dating. Researchers tracked changes over a handful of years in the weight and relationship status of 6,949 people. They found women had a 63 percent increased risk of obesity, while men did not in the first year of marriage. Causes for the weight gain could be eating more regularly, exercising less and a more sedentary lifestyle. [CBSNews.com]
Women are more at risk to gain weight in the first year of marriage than men are. Not sure of why that is. You don't see too many women sitting around watching football games on TV while eating fattening snacks and drinking fattening bear for hour on end. I'm looking forward to the day when Teresa and I get married. She is going to fix our dinners to help me loose weight and become that handsome, charming, gorgeous hunk of a man that I never was. Should be interesting. By the way, don't believe every study that comes out. They probably picked the wrong 6,949 people. It was that 6, 950th one that would have told the true tale. Now we'll never knowfor sure.