.JPG)
Very noteworthy. For shear clarity, these three articles are hard to beat......
The following article is from marketwatch. The mere fact that the most mainstream sources are now talking of things that 6 months ago was only spoken by those wacky nut jobs on the internet, is eyebrow raising. People are starting to look at the central bank with a much more critical eye.
The Fed goes to Defcon 1
Commentary: A promise to do everything it must to avert a depression
With the economy teetering on the edge of a prolonged slump, the central bank's policy-making Federal Open Market Committee slashed interest rates on Tuesday to near zero, and vowed to use "all available tools" to keep the economy from collapsing into a depression……
…Now that traditional monetary policy as we know it has been exhausted, the Fed will take ever-more creative steps to boost growth. In simple terms, the Fed will flood the financial system and economy with as much money as it has to….
….Critics will say Helicopter Ben has taken off and is now prepared to drop billions of dollars across the landscape, destroying the economy with a hyperinflationary spiral. But cooler heads will counter: What choice does he have?
This is from Lew Rockwell....He makes a serious attempt to explain what we could be doing. Rather than the Fed sticking his finger sall over everything....Seriously, when someone says well what can we do? this is a place you could start....but there is too much money and power at stake to allow any of this to take place.
The Answers Are Out There
by Bill Sardi
….The idea that banks can just make money out of thin air by multiplying its cash reserves by 10-fold, to create more money to loan, is sheer folly. When a bank loans out $100,000 based on $10,000 of reserves, it created $90,000 of new money. But it didn’t put new money into circulation to cover for the cost of the interest payments. Eventually, a society using this type of banking system is playing musical chairs. Somebody won’t be able to sit down in a chair when the music stops because there isn’t enough money in circulation to cover for the interest payments. That is what is happening now…..
…The US is locked in a war between those who demand clean energy vs affordable energy….
….Once people enter the clutches of the health care system, the search for disease begins with mammograms, colonoscopies, stool tests, blood tests, CT scans, and the like, but no routine testing is performed for vitamin C, vitamin D, folic acid, vitamin B12, red-cell magnesium, or essential oils. Instead, drugs are prescribed that actually induce nutritional deficiencies, ensuring more chronic disease….
This is from Gary, about leaving a legacy. But what I highlighted here is for this last paragraph on what the government always does as part of its distorting of the economy....
Do Not Go Quietly
Gary North
….Economists like to speak of the vast array of tax-funded institutions and projects such as highways as "social overhead capital." They love to focus on the supposed productivity of social overhead capital. Yet they are well aware of boondoggles. Boondoggles are sold to voters as social overhead capital.
What is really significant as social overhead capital is the religious and legal framework of society, which is established by custom. But economists and historians ignore this, because its effects are so widespread and filled with noise. No one invented custom. Rarely can a custom even be dated, other than a few holidays. The integration of customs was not designed by anyone who gets into the history books.
In a free society, each of us has an opportunity to make a breakthrough that leaves a legacy. This can be for good or evil. But the great thing about custom is that good developments tend to get imitated, while bad ones get quarantined -- mostly by custom.
The worst customs that evade the quarantine process are likely to have the backing of the civil government. The government thwarts the system of positive and negative feedback that custom supplies and the free market institutionalizes through accounting: profit and loss. Government taxes the successful to subsidize the unsuccessful. …
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Perspective
I am trying to be diligent, faithful with a little. What Doug Wilson says here needs to be kept in mind. But I dont think this means we should just head off to the movies everynight.......
The World is not God's Hat on a Windy Day
....This means that we may trust Him for His provision. Biblically understood, few doctrines are sweeter than this one. "Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows" (Matt. 10:29-31). Jesus does not teach us to simply refrain from fear. That sort of "stiff upper lip" Stoicism is not Christian. He says do not fear therefore. When we as Christians refrain from anxiety, we are to do so from a doctrinal base. That foundation is a full confidence in the providence of God. Christ reasons from the Father's providence over things which are trivial to us. And if this is the case, then how much more should be we confident that He watches over us in every respect? And if this is the case, then how can we fall into the worries of "little-faith"?....
The World is not God's Hat on a Windy Day
....This means that we may trust Him for His provision. Biblically understood, few doctrines are sweeter than this one. "Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows" (Matt. 10:29-31). Jesus does not teach us to simply refrain from fear. That sort of "stiff upper lip" Stoicism is not Christian. He says do not fear therefore. When we as Christians refrain from anxiety, we are to do so from a doctrinal base. That foundation is a full confidence in the providence of God. Christ reasons from the Father's providence over things which are trivial to us. And if this is the case, then how much more should be we confident that He watches over us in every respect? And if this is the case, then how can we fall into the worries of "little-faith"?....
Good perspective from Swanson for the days ahead
This was a timely show from Kevin Swanson....stream it or download the mp3
How to Survive Tough Economic Times
The economists have recently declared that we have been in a recession for some time and in such an environment employers have been and will continue to hand out pink slips. Kevin Swanson asks what do you do when your old job is no more? What roll does the church play and what are the Biblical principles that guide actions during such times.
How to Survive Tough Economic Times
The economists have recently declared that we have been in a recession for some time and in such an environment employers have been and will continue to hand out pink slips. Kevin Swanson asks what do you do when your old job is no more? What roll does the church play and what are the Biblical principles that guide actions during such times.
Its gonna rain money, but Bernanke says...I will have it under control
A small round up of noteworthy articles. The fact that people are turning to psychic's for investment info really isnt that big of a change from the talking heads that they were listening to on TV. The ones that didnt see this coming and warn them to get out of the markets. Anything rather than crying out to God?
New investment guru: The local psychic
By Ruth La Ferla
Published: November 23, 2008
On a good day last summer, Thomas Taccetta, a stock trader, might have checked his financial charts before plotting his investments. Today, he is likely to check in with his psychic as well. "I'll play the broadest index, the S.&P. 500," Taccetta said, "and if she tells me she is getting a negative view, I will sell."
Since September, when the Dow collapsed, Taccetta, who trades for his own portfolio in Boca Raton, Florida, has talked with his psychic about once a month, roughly twice as often as a year ago. "There is no rhyme or reason to the way the market is trading," he said. "When conditions are this volatile, consulting a psychic can be as good a strategy as any other."
In an era when even Henry Paulson Jr., the Treasury secretary, changes his mind weekly about how to rescue the U.S. economy, Taccetta's decision to seek the advice of a psychic may not seem all that irrational. With
Washington flinging pieces of the $700 billion bailout package around, dithering about whom to rescue — homeowners? automakers? cousin Fred? — a good set of tarot cards might come in handy….
Psychics say their business is robust, as do astrologers and people who channel spirits, read palms and otherwise predict the future (albeit not the winning lottery numbers). Their clients, who include a growing number of men, are often professional advice-givers themselves, in fields like real estate and investments, and they typically hand over anywhere from $75 to $1,000 an hour for this form of insight…..
"My Web traffic is up and up and up," said Aurora Tower, a New Yorker who constructs spidery star charts for her growing clientele. "People will entertain the irrational when what they consider rational collapses."
Quackery? Whatever. But after all, the supposed experts on the economy, from pundits on the networks to billionaire investment bankers, have not been exactly reliable……
The steep prices charged by practitioners of divination do not seem to have deterred many of the financially fretful. Hartman, the Los Angeles psychic, said her Internet traffic has picked up substantially, from about 30 visitors a day to more than 200. She charges from $150 for a 30-minute telephone reading to $500 for 90 minutes of "intuitive counseling." In what is perhaps a sign of the times, the $70 moss-scented prosperity candle offered on her Web site has become her best seller, she said….
Federal Reserve Bond Sales?
by Michael S. Rozeff
Rumor has it that the Federal Reserve is considering selling bonds. The legality is in question. Leaving that aside, why would the Fed do such a thing? If it did, how would such a thing work? What would be its effects?
The Fed can issue non-interest bearing debt now. This is the Federal Reserve notes that we use as a medium of exchange. When the Fed buys things like Treasury bills, commercial paper, junk bonds, stocks, or many other securities, it pays by creating reserves for banks that can be cashed out, if desired, as Federal Reserve notes. The Fed has created a ton of potentially inflationary reserves lately. It is paying interest on these reserves in order to "sterilize" them, that is, prevent them from being cashed out and from being used to make an excessive amount of new loans. It’s trying to save the banking system without causing inflation. It appears that the proposal to issue interest-bearing debt is a variation on this scheme…..
The Fed is gonna drop a refrigerator from the top of a 10 story building. He says he will run down and catch it safely before it hits the ground.
Yah,I dont think so either.
New investment guru: The local psychic
By Ruth La Ferla
Published: November 23, 2008
On a good day last summer, Thomas Taccetta, a stock trader, might have checked his financial charts before plotting his investments. Today, he is likely to check in with his psychic as well. "I'll play the broadest index, the S.&P. 500," Taccetta said, "and if she tells me she is getting a negative view, I will sell."
Since September, when the Dow collapsed, Taccetta, who trades for his own portfolio in Boca Raton, Florida, has talked with his psychic about once a month, roughly twice as often as a year ago. "There is no rhyme or reason to the way the market is trading," he said. "When conditions are this volatile, consulting a psychic can be as good a strategy as any other."
In an era when even Henry Paulson Jr., the Treasury secretary, changes his mind weekly about how to rescue the U.S. economy, Taccetta's decision to seek the advice of a psychic may not seem all that irrational. With
Washington flinging pieces of the $700 billion bailout package around, dithering about whom to rescue — homeowners? automakers? cousin Fred? — a good set of tarot cards might come in handy….
Psychics say their business is robust, as do astrologers and people who channel spirits, read palms and otherwise predict the future (albeit not the winning lottery numbers). Their clients, who include a growing number of men, are often professional advice-givers themselves, in fields like real estate and investments, and they typically hand over anywhere from $75 to $1,000 an hour for this form of insight…..
"My Web traffic is up and up and up," said Aurora Tower, a New Yorker who constructs spidery star charts for her growing clientele. "People will entertain the irrational when what they consider rational collapses."
Quackery? Whatever. But after all, the supposed experts on the economy, from pundits on the networks to billionaire investment bankers, have not been exactly reliable……
The steep prices charged by practitioners of divination do not seem to have deterred many of the financially fretful. Hartman, the Los Angeles psychic, said her Internet traffic has picked up substantially, from about 30 visitors a day to more than 200. She charges from $150 for a 30-minute telephone reading to $500 for 90 minutes of "intuitive counseling." In what is perhaps a sign of the times, the $70 moss-scented prosperity candle offered on her Web site has become her best seller, she said….
Federal Reserve Bond Sales?
by Michael S. Rozeff
Rumor has it that the Federal Reserve is considering selling bonds. The legality is in question. Leaving that aside, why would the Fed do such a thing? If it did, how would such a thing work? What would be its effects?
The Fed can issue non-interest bearing debt now. This is the Federal Reserve notes that we use as a medium of exchange. When the Fed buys things like Treasury bills, commercial paper, junk bonds, stocks, or many other securities, it pays by creating reserves for banks that can be cashed out, if desired, as Federal Reserve notes. The Fed has created a ton of potentially inflationary reserves lately. It is paying interest on these reserves in order to "sterilize" them, that is, prevent them from being cashed out and from being used to make an excessive amount of new loans. It’s trying to save the banking system without causing inflation. It appears that the proposal to issue interest-bearing debt is a variation on this scheme…..
The Fed is gonna drop a refrigerator from the top of a 10 story building. He says he will run down and catch it safely before it hits the ground.
Yah,I dont think so either.
Hat tip to Gary North fior this one...
The Best and the Brightest Led America Off a Cliff
By Chris Hedges
The multiple failures that beset the country, from our mismanaged economy to our shredded constitutional rights to our lack of universal health care to our imperial debacles in the Middle East, can be laid at the feet of our elite universities. Harvard, Yale, Princeton and Stanford, along with most other elite schools, do a poor job educating students to think. They focus instead, through the filter of standardized tests, enrichment activities, advanced placement classes, high-priced tutors, swanky private schools and blind deference to all authority, on creating hordes of competent systems managers. The collapse of the country runs in a direct line from the manicured quadrangles and halls in places like Cambridge, Princeton and New Haven to the financial and political centers of power….
…These elites, and the corporate system they serve, have ruined the country. These elite cannot solve our problems. They have been trained to find “solutions,” such as the trillion-dollar bailout of banks and financial firms, that sustain the system. They will feed the beast until it dies. Don’t expect them to save us. They don’t know how. And when it all collapses, when our rotten financial system with its trillions in worthless assets implodes and our imperial wars end in humiliation and defeat, they will be exposed as being as helpless, and as stupid, as the rest of us….
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
This is what Christianity has been reduced to…..enhanced moralism
I have been thinking about some stuff the last few weeks, I shared this today at Legacy….with this email I can link to some examples of what Im talking about.
We had an intramural scrimmage email wise amongst Legacy. Fleshing out some biblical understanding on Self defense in the home. Rob made the observation that if you only use the New Testament you are just left hanging as to what you should do. With out the Old Testament you would actually be steered away from the biblical stance on this topic.
Rom 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
I have been thinking about how I/we have assimilated Gods word into our lives when we were saved. Proposition, as Rob would say, on how we should have been introduced to Christianity after being saved or what is it, we should impart to a new believer/s and especially our kids
Now humanities problem is a rebellion against God, the problem is we focus on ourselves and what we want. As part of this, we redefine what God has declared. But what God has said, is the truth.
Modern Christianity has been focused on behavior. We think in terms of a God who… “looks at the heart.” We don’t see how we are still captive to a mindset that see’s us as the key ingredient. Where we take the Word to us and our situations and then apply it to us.
But this leaves the focus still on man, now a regenerate man, but the focus is still upon man. And there are no answers in man.
So when we read…….Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Its easy to reduce what Jesus says here, to a very limited understanding. To make it representative of the modern salvation experience. Rather than what Jesus was meaning, that it be descriptive of what the salvation experience leads too.
We have had Mans definition of what salvation is about, evangelicalism agreed with the world that defined Christianity as a “enhanced morality” and This is what Christianity has become reduced to…..We would be quick to add, we also have a relationship with Jesus now. Our modern Christianity has not been a bottom up inspection of what we believe, rather we have thrown some Jesus carrots into the existing stew which has changed the flavor of basic humanistic paradigms. It keeps Jesus and his axe away from our roots.
Now that we are saved when the neighbor’s dog poops in our yard ( again!) instead of taking our shovel and flinging it back into his yard we quietly throw it away. We are suffering for Christ.
This is what Christianity has become reduced to…..enhanced moralism.
How should we see it? Now that we are saved we should approach His creation, which we are just a part of , and see the world as he says it is, as he defines it, adopt his world view and subordinate ourselves to it. This is not how most of us have been taught to think.
So his word becomes the focus and we take a rightful place as a derivative of Gods creation. We come from and are part of it. Not the center of it.
We all know this verse. Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. But the proceeding verses which give the context,(26-32) have Jesus giving the set up to knowing this truth that can set you free. His life is the example and Jesus himself points back to what God has ordained and revealed already in his word. We moderns see the verse and just assume that it is imputed to us because we are now saved.
Here are two examples of biblical thinking that used to be just foreign to me. (still is) One is Doug Wilson working with Mercy and the other is Marton Selbrede with multiple examples of using the word to examine governments and economics . Here were my contributions to the defending your family discussion. partI, partII, partIII
You never arrive, but we keep moving towards….repenting and reforming, bringing all back into its proper position in Gods created order….
We had an intramural scrimmage email wise amongst Legacy. Fleshing out some biblical understanding on Self defense in the home. Rob made the observation that if you only use the New Testament you are just left hanging as to what you should do. With out the Old Testament you would actually be steered away from the biblical stance on this topic.
Rom 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
I have been thinking about how I/we have assimilated Gods word into our lives when we were saved. Proposition, as Rob would say, on how we should have been introduced to Christianity after being saved or what is it, we should impart to a new believer/s and especially our kids
Now humanities problem is a rebellion against God, the problem is we focus on ourselves and what we want. As part of this, we redefine what God has declared. But what God has said, is the truth.
Modern Christianity has been focused on behavior. We think in terms of a God who… “looks at the heart.” We don’t see how we are still captive to a mindset that see’s us as the key ingredient. Where we take the Word to us and our situations and then apply it to us.
But this leaves the focus still on man, now a regenerate man, but the focus is still upon man. And there are no answers in man.
So when we read…….Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Its easy to reduce what Jesus says here, to a very limited understanding. To make it representative of the modern salvation experience. Rather than what Jesus was meaning, that it be descriptive of what the salvation experience leads too.
We have had Mans definition of what salvation is about, evangelicalism agreed with the world that defined Christianity as a “enhanced morality” and This is what Christianity has become reduced to…..We would be quick to add, we also have a relationship with Jesus now. Our modern Christianity has not been a bottom up inspection of what we believe, rather we have thrown some Jesus carrots into the existing stew which has changed the flavor of basic humanistic paradigms. It keeps Jesus and his axe away from our roots.
Now that we are saved when the neighbor’s dog poops in our yard ( again!) instead of taking our shovel and flinging it back into his yard we quietly throw it away. We are suffering for Christ.
This is what Christianity has become reduced to…..enhanced moralism.
How should we see it? Now that we are saved we should approach His creation, which we are just a part of , and see the world as he says it is, as he defines it, adopt his world view and subordinate ourselves to it. This is not how most of us have been taught to think.
So his word becomes the focus and we take a rightful place as a derivative of Gods creation. We come from and are part of it. Not the center of it.
We all know this verse. Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. But the proceeding verses which give the context,(26-32) have Jesus giving the set up to knowing this truth that can set you free. His life is the example and Jesus himself points back to what God has ordained and revealed already in his word. We moderns see the verse and just assume that it is imputed to us because we are now saved.
Here are two examples of biblical thinking that used to be just foreign to me. (still is) One is Doug Wilson working with Mercy and the other is Marton Selbrede with multiple examples of using the word to examine governments and economics . Here were my contributions to the defending your family discussion. partI, partII, partIII
You never arrive, but we keep moving towards….repenting and reforming, bringing all back into its proper position in Gods created order….
Not even the onset of World War II ended the Depression. True enough, unemployment ended; but this was only because of the draft
From Mises, a book review that takes a hard look at Roosevelt and the 1930's. The myth that government action or even that world war II brought us out of the depression are addressed. Since the current fed chairman embraces what was done then and thinks that Roosevelt didnt do enough it is pertinent. So Bernanke will keep pouring on the onions,loose monetary policy, and Obama has already announced his new public work projects all in the name of helping the economy.
The Disaster Called the New Deal
by David Gordon
...His anti–New Deal verdict is hard to dispute: levels of unemployment at the end of the 1930s remained at depression levels. In May 1939, Treasury Secretary Henry J. Morgenthau Jr., one of Franklin Roosevelt's best friends, testified before the House Ways and Means Committee: "I say after eight years of this Administration we have just as much unemployment as when we started…
And an enormous debt to boot" (p. 2). When he spoke, unemployment exceeded 20 percent. Further, and here Folsom has absorbed the pioneering research of Robert Higgs, not even the onset of World War II ended the Depression. True enough, unemployment ended; but this was only because of the draft….
Spending by the government does not add to employment, since taxes displace private spending and investing. Folsom aptly quotes Hazlitt in this connection:"Every dollar of government spending must be raised through a dollar of taxation," Hazlitt emphasized. If the WPA builds a $10 million dollar bridge, for example, "the bridge has to be paid out of taxes…
Therefore," Hazlitt observed, "for every public job created by the bridge project a private job has been destroyed somewhere else… All that has happened, at best, is that there has been a diversion of jobs because of the project. (p. 84)…
Government spending, if it takes place through the expansion of bank credit, will, if "successful," result in another artificially created boom. The recovery thus generated will result in the long run in even worse economic distress, once that new boom in turn collapses. Nor can a policy of further monetary expansion indefinitely postpone disaster. Eventually people's confidence in the monetary system will crumble, and a hyperinflation will result….
The Disaster Called the New Deal
by David Gordon
...His anti–New Deal verdict is hard to dispute: levels of unemployment at the end of the 1930s remained at depression levels. In May 1939, Treasury Secretary Henry J. Morgenthau Jr., one of Franklin Roosevelt's best friends, testified before the House Ways and Means Committee: "I say after eight years of this Administration we have just as much unemployment as when we started…
And an enormous debt to boot" (p. 2). When he spoke, unemployment exceeded 20 percent. Further, and here Folsom has absorbed the pioneering research of Robert Higgs, not even the onset of World War II ended the Depression. True enough, unemployment ended; but this was only because of the draft….
Spending by the government does not add to employment, since taxes displace private spending and investing. Folsom aptly quotes Hazlitt in this connection:"Every dollar of government spending must be raised through a dollar of taxation," Hazlitt emphasized. If the WPA builds a $10 million dollar bridge, for example, "the bridge has to be paid out of taxes…
Therefore," Hazlitt observed, "for every public job created by the bridge project a private job has been destroyed somewhere else… All that has happened, at best, is that there has been a diversion of jobs because of the project. (p. 84)…
Government spending, if it takes place through the expansion of bank credit, will, if "successful," result in another artificially created boom. The recovery thus generated will result in the long run in even worse economic distress, once that new boom in turn collapses. Nor can a policy of further monetary expansion indefinitely postpone disaster. Eventually people's confidence in the monetary system will crumble, and a hyperinflation will result….
Saturday, December 6, 2008
The $$ head ache continues
This is from the member side Of Gary's specific answers and illuminates clearly what has been happening with the economy.
"House" and "Bernanke" Gary North
.....IATROGENESIS
In medicine, there is a phenomenon called iatrogenesis: side effects caused by treatment. (A side effect is an effect we don't like.) In economic policy, this phenomenon is called the law of unintended consequences.
To keep the lawyers away, physicians blame iatrogenesis on the complexity of nature. To keep Congress away, Federal Reserve economists blame unintended consequences on the complexity of the derivatives market. To keep voters away, Congress blames unintended consequences on speculators, price gaugers, and CEOs who refuse to fly on commercial airliners......
...CONTAGION
Public health officials worry about contagion. The operative words are "plague," "epidemic," and "pandemic."
Central bankers worry about contagion. The operative words are "systemic failure," "gridlock," and "cascading cross defaults." In today's economy, the interconnections that we call the social division of labor are all tied to fiat currencies, fractional reserve banking, just-in-time production, and digital money. These connections are astoundingly complex.....
....All over the West, commercial banks have bet their solvency on lending money to hedge funds, which invested the money in the stock market. These funds also wrote highly complex futures contracts that are now unraveling. As hedge funds are hit with margin calls, they must sell marketable assets. This has driven down the price of stocks. Hedge funds are defaulting. They are defaulting on money owed to large banks,
Central banks have two primary functions: (1) to keep large banks solvent; (2) to keep new banks from entering the field, which would otherwise increase competition for large banks. Central banks are therefore the linchpins in a government- created, officially regulated, but in fact self-regulating cartel of commercial banks.
The leverage of the banking system in the United States is the inverse of the Federal Reserve System's reserve requirements. This has been no higher than 10%, which means the banking system is leveraged at least ten-to-one.
To this is added leverage of hedge funds. One of them was Carlisle Capital, which was leveraged 30-to-one. It went bankrupt in March. This took only a few days.
Around the world, with trillions of dollars on the line, we are seeing a working out of one of the rules in Paul Dickson's book, "The Official Rules" (1978): "Things are easier to get into than out of."
The deal-doers believed that central banks can save everything, that commercial bank leverage is forever, that moral hazard is a guarantee for people with connections to avoid bankruptcy, that if your company gets too big to fail, it will not be allowed to fail. They believed in high profits and low risk.
They were wrong....
Bottom line is that the Fed will inflate the Dollar to pay for all this debt.
"House" and "Bernanke" Gary North
.....IATROGENESIS
In medicine, there is a phenomenon called iatrogenesis: side effects caused by treatment. (A side effect is an effect we don't like.) In economic policy, this phenomenon is called the law of unintended consequences.
To keep the lawyers away, physicians blame iatrogenesis on the complexity of nature. To keep Congress away, Federal Reserve economists blame unintended consequences on the complexity of the derivatives market. To keep voters away, Congress blames unintended consequences on speculators, price gaugers, and CEOs who refuse to fly on commercial airliners......
...CONTAGION
Public health officials worry about contagion. The operative words are "plague," "epidemic," and "pandemic."
Central bankers worry about contagion. The operative words are "systemic failure," "gridlock," and "cascading cross defaults." In today's economy, the interconnections that we call the social division of labor are all tied to fiat currencies, fractional reserve banking, just-in-time production, and digital money. These connections are astoundingly complex.....
....All over the West, commercial banks have bet their solvency on lending money to hedge funds, which invested the money in the stock market. These funds also wrote highly complex futures contracts that are now unraveling. As hedge funds are hit with margin calls, they must sell marketable assets. This has driven down the price of stocks. Hedge funds are defaulting. They are defaulting on money owed to large banks,
Central banks have two primary functions: (1) to keep large banks solvent; (2) to keep new banks from entering the field, which would otherwise increase competition for large banks. Central banks are therefore the linchpins in a government- created, officially regulated, but in fact self-regulating cartel of commercial banks.
The leverage of the banking system in the United States is the inverse of the Federal Reserve System's reserve requirements. This has been no higher than 10%, which means the banking system is leveraged at least ten-to-one.
To this is added leverage of hedge funds. One of them was Carlisle Capital, which was leveraged 30-to-one. It went bankrupt in March. This took only a few days.
Around the world, with trillions of dollars on the line, we are seeing a working out of one of the rules in Paul Dickson's book, "The Official Rules" (1978): "Things are easier to get into than out of."
The deal-doers believed that central banks can save everything, that commercial bank leverage is forever, that moral hazard is a guarantee for people with connections to avoid bankruptcy, that if your company gets too big to fail, it will not be allowed to fail. They believed in high profits and low risk.
They were wrong....
Bottom line is that the Fed will inflate the Dollar to pay for all this debt.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Jesus...was more concerned that they be armed than that they be warmIII
Regarding defending oneself. Some additional light from Chalcedon position papers. by Martin Selbrede.The first paragraph is from the defense position paper.
...Self defense: Although some Christians decry all war, even defensive war within our nation’s boundaries after those boundaries have been violated, the failure of the civil magistrate (or in modern terms, the civil government) to defend its citizens from invading attackers is a transgression of God’s eternal law. We are commanded, “Thou shalt not stand idly by the blood of thy neighbor” (Lev. 19:16). Psalm 50 furtherexpands on the idea of “standing idly by,” indicating that it constitutes actual consent to the evil being perpetrated. And to consent to murder is regarded by God as being a party to that murder, based on (1) Psalm 50:18’s elaboration of Lev.19:16; (2) Saul of Tarsus’s consent to Stephen’s stoning at Acts 8:1 and his later application of this law to himself at Acts 22:20 when he confessed that “when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death” (to stand by Stephen’s blood was to consent to his death); (3) Christ’s charge to the scribes that, “you consent to the deeds of your fathers, for they killed the prophets and you build their tombs” (Luke 11:48 ESV),which is the ground upon which He added, “the blood of all the prophets shed from the foundation of the world will be charged against you” (Luke 11:50 ESV), proving that consent to murder is to be party to murder, for which reason Christ imposed the penalty for murder on the consenters in this passage. It further follows that to fail to defend oneself is to consent to and be a party to one’s own suicide, for (1) we are not to stand idly by the blood of our neighbor, and (2) we are to love our neighbors as ourselves; therefore, (3) we are not to stand idly by our own blood. The only exception is when we lay our lives down to save another (evidencing the greatest love possible in so doing)....
...“He has shown thee, o man, what is good…” God has shown us: we don’t have to create new policies. What is good and just has been spelled out. Micah speaks to all men (“O man”) – not just to Jews, but to Gentiles and to us today.“…and what doth the Lord require of thee…” What is good is what the Lord requires of us. What God requires is for our good and achieves good personally and culturally. What is required has been shown to us: it is not up in the air; it is not in the New Testament (or the verse would have used the future tense, “He will show thee, o man, what is good…”).God has shown, past tense, in the Old Testament....
Rom 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.
...Self defense: Although some Christians decry all war, even defensive war within our nation’s boundaries after those boundaries have been violated, the failure of the civil magistrate (or in modern terms, the civil government) to defend its citizens from invading attackers is a transgression of God’s eternal law. We are commanded, “Thou shalt not stand idly by the blood of thy neighbor” (Lev. 19:16). Psalm 50 furtherexpands on the idea of “standing idly by,” indicating that it constitutes actual consent to the evil being perpetrated. And to consent to murder is regarded by God as being a party to that murder, based on (1) Psalm 50:18’s elaboration of Lev.19:16; (2) Saul of Tarsus’s consent to Stephen’s stoning at Acts 8:1 and his later application of this law to himself at Acts 22:20 when he confessed that “when the blood of thy martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death” (to stand by Stephen’s blood was to consent to his death); (3) Christ’s charge to the scribes that, “you consent to the deeds of your fathers, for they killed the prophets and you build their tombs” (Luke 11:48 ESV),which is the ground upon which He added, “the blood of all the prophets shed from the foundation of the world will be charged against you” (Luke 11:50 ESV), proving that consent to murder is to be party to murder, for which reason Christ imposed the penalty for murder on the consenters in this passage. It further follows that to fail to defend oneself is to consent to and be a party to one’s own suicide, for (1) we are not to stand idly by the blood of our neighbor, and (2) we are to love our neighbors as ourselves; therefore, (3) we are not to stand idly by our own blood. The only exception is when we lay our lives down to save another (evidencing the greatest love possible in so doing)....
...“He has shown thee, o man, what is good…” God has shown us: we don’t have to create new policies. What is good and just has been spelled out. Micah speaks to all men (“O man”) – not just to Jews, but to Gentiles and to us today.“…and what doth the Lord require of thee…” What is good is what the Lord requires of us. What God requires is for our good and achieves good personally and culturally. What is required has been shown to us: it is not up in the air; it is not in the New Testament (or the verse would have used the future tense, “He will show thee, o man, what is good…”).God has shown, past tense, in the Old Testament....
Rom 11:25 For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.
Bernanke's Playbook
This is via Lew Rockwell.
Here is a freebie from Gary North. He gives a commentary to what Bernanke has been saying and doing and extrapolates it forward to predict what he will continue to do. Overall Mr North has been more on than off with the economy.
Bernanke's Playbook
Here is a freebie from Gary North. He gives a commentary to what Bernanke has been saying and doing and extrapolates it forward to predict what he will continue to do. Overall Mr North has been more on than off with the economy.
Bernanke's Playbook
Biblical mercy has been held hostage for too long
Doug Wilson is working with the word mercy at Blog and Mablog. He is trying to untangle it from the culture so that we will think of it in the biblical fashion that God intended. Mercy has been hijacked by the Oprah's of the world and most Christians are pretty comfortable with her understanding of it. These have been from the last couple of weeks.
Mercy and No Mercy
...Biblical wisdom always remembers the antithesis, and places it where God has placed it. Forgetting the antithesis frequently consists of selecting a biblical virtue, absolutizing it, and using it to contradict or "balance" other biblical virtues. This is the basic (and very serious) error of the pacifist. The problem is not what he affirms so much, but rather what he denies...
The unbelieving response is to privilege one set of verses over the other, and, as time goes by, to forget about the neglected set of verses entirely....
God judges according to His own nature and character, and so this means that when He is merciless and throws merciless sinners into Hell, He is not violating any internal standard....
Bankrupt Mercy an Oxymoron
We have established that without justice and righteousness, mercy cannot be mercy. Those who universalize mercy are therefore adversaries to true biblical mercy, and are simply apostles of sentimentalism....
Justice, mercy, and faithfulness are the weightier matters of the law (Matt. 23:23). This means that we cannot say that every attribute that God has can be given equal weight or importance. He is the Holy One of Israel, and not an isocoles triangle....
Mercy and the Divine Warrior
...God's justice is not leaning one way with His mercy leaning another, with Him trying to keep His balance on the high wire of the highest heaven.
"Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face" (Ps. 89:14). This is a package; it is not an "on the one hand" and then "on the other" kind of thing. God is not merciful to His people in spite of being a warrior. He is merciful to His people because He is a warrior....
We don't understand biblical mercy because we don't understand the antithesis, which is another way of saying that we do not know that the kingdom of God is in a state of perpetual war with the ungodly. We read a passage like this, and our sympathies are immediately extended to Pharaoh and his host, famous kings, not to mention Sihon and Og. What about mercy for them? But this is not a question that Scripture teaches us to ask. The fact that we have learned to ask it means that we are letting somebody else teach us when we shouldn't....
Topsy Turvy Judgments
In his book on the psalms, C.S. Lewis commented on the difference between the Jewish view of judgment and the Christian view. The Christian, he said, thinks of judgment as a criminal trial with himself in the dock. The Jewish mentality thought of it as a civil proceeding, with himself as the plaintiff. This explains why the Christian instinct is to avert judgment, to seek a solution for it, which of course is ultimately found in the cross. The Jewish instinct is to pray for judgment to come, for God to intervene, and the sooner the better.
Because we are not Marcionite, we don't have to choose between these -- they are both in the Bible, and they are both in the Bible for us to emulate, each in their place. It is all there for a reason. Because Christians, for the last century or two, have greatly neglected the singing of the psalms, the "Christian" perspective has gotten dangerously out of whack, and we need to learn how to pray for God's judgment to come and vindicate us....
Mercy and No Mercy
...Biblical wisdom always remembers the antithesis, and places it where God has placed it. Forgetting the antithesis frequently consists of selecting a biblical virtue, absolutizing it, and using it to contradict or "balance" other biblical virtues. This is the basic (and very serious) error of the pacifist. The problem is not what he affirms so much, but rather what he denies...
The unbelieving response is to privilege one set of verses over the other, and, as time goes by, to forget about the neglected set of verses entirely....
God judges according to His own nature and character, and so this means that when He is merciless and throws merciless sinners into Hell, He is not violating any internal standard....
Bankrupt Mercy an Oxymoron
We have established that without justice and righteousness, mercy cannot be mercy. Those who universalize mercy are therefore adversaries to true biblical mercy, and are simply apostles of sentimentalism....
Justice, mercy, and faithfulness are the weightier matters of the law (Matt. 23:23). This means that we cannot say that every attribute that God has can be given equal weight or importance. He is the Holy One of Israel, and not an isocoles triangle....
Mercy and the Divine Warrior
...God's justice is not leaning one way with His mercy leaning another, with Him trying to keep His balance on the high wire of the highest heaven.
"Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face" (Ps. 89:14). This is a package; it is not an "on the one hand" and then "on the other" kind of thing. God is not merciful to His people in spite of being a warrior. He is merciful to His people because He is a warrior....
We don't understand biblical mercy because we don't understand the antithesis, which is another way of saying that we do not know that the kingdom of God is in a state of perpetual war with the ungodly. We read a passage like this, and our sympathies are immediately extended to Pharaoh and his host, famous kings, not to mention Sihon and Og. What about mercy for them? But this is not a question that Scripture teaches us to ask. The fact that we have learned to ask it means that we are letting somebody else teach us when we shouldn't....
Topsy Turvy Judgments
In his book on the psalms, C.S. Lewis commented on the difference between the Jewish view of judgment and the Christian view. The Christian, he said, thinks of judgment as a criminal trial with himself in the dock. The Jewish mentality thought of it as a civil proceeding, with himself as the plaintiff. This explains why the Christian instinct is to avert judgment, to seek a solution for it, which of course is ultimately found in the cross. The Jewish instinct is to pray for judgment to come, for God to intervene, and the sooner the better.
Because we are not Marcionite, we don't have to choose between these -- they are both in the Bible, and they are both in the Bible for us to emulate, each in their place. It is all there for a reason. Because Christians, for the last century or two, have greatly neglected the singing of the psalms, the "Christian" perspective has gotten dangerously out of whack, and we need to learn how to pray for God's judgment to come and vindicate us....
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Martin Luther said...
"If I profess, with the loudest voice and clearest exposition, every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages there the loyalty of the soldier is proved, and to be steady on all the battle fields besides is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point."
Modern Christianity has earned itself an "F" in relation to this idea. We have ...."with the loudest voice and clearest exposition".... talked of Us and Jesus and wanting to be around and close to him, to be nearer to Jesus. It becomes panacea to excuse us from Jesus clear instructions to us when he said..."doing whatsoever I have commanded you..." We have not believed what he wrote. So we dont even see that a battle is raging, let alone ..."that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking"...
Modern Christianity has earned itself an "F" in relation to this idea. We have ...."with the loudest voice and clearest exposition".... talked of Us and Jesus and wanting to be around and close to him, to be nearer to Jesus. It becomes panacea to excuse us from Jesus clear instructions to us when he said..."doing whatsoever I have commanded you..." We have not believed what he wrote. So we dont even see that a battle is raging, let alone ..."that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking"...
Eating...but God is in control
More Douglas Wilson We should exersice wisdom over what we eat, but...
A Stick of Butter on the Forehead
...Beneath all of this is a desire to be in personal control. Our sickness and our health is in the hands of God, and we really don't really like it there. We would rather have the illusion of control than to trust, really trust, the one who does have control, and to follow His laws in learning how to function as faithful stewards of His with some real effect on the world.
We are like little kids in those little rides at the shopping malls, where the plastic car goes up and down, left and right, and the child turns the steering wheel to no effect, feeling that he is the master of his fate and the captain of his soul. We are faced with an array of electronic euipment that we barely understand, and we would rather twiddle the knobs aimlessly and assign values randomly, than to admit our helplessness and trust God for our health...
A Stick of Butter on the Forehead
...Beneath all of this is a desire to be in personal control. Our sickness and our health is in the hands of God, and we really don't really like it there. We would rather have the illusion of control than to trust, really trust, the one who does have control, and to follow His laws in learning how to function as faithful stewards of His with some real effect on the world.
We are like little kids in those little rides at the shopping malls, where the plastic car goes up and down, left and right, and the child turns the steering wheel to no effect, feeling that he is the master of his fate and the captain of his soul. We are faced with an array of electronic euipment that we barely understand, and we would rather twiddle the knobs aimlessly and assign values randomly, than to admit our helplessness and trust God for our health...
Gun Control:Jesus.... was more concerned that they be armed than that they be warm. partII
I need to start a gun/self defense section.
Rob has made a great point with his questions concerning whether do we use a shorter Bible just to make it fair? Will we follow Jesus and historical Christianity? When Jesus said to make disciples, what else did they use to teach, other than the Old Testament, for a very long time. Every time Jesus or the apostle Paul, or even John is speaking/writing and they make some important point, it is based on, or reinforced with quotes of the Old Testament.
Jesus never negated his first testimony to us in the old testament. It was the perfect standard for society and he said so. If Jesus could’ve been given gray hair it would’ve been from his constant rebuking of the Pharisees for making the Law of God null and void by their human traditions.
Rom 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law. (not for our righteousness but for behavior that is righteous in His sight.)
You cannot use the bible to come to this position without some serious cut and paste work:...." letting evil people kill you and your family because…"
Here's Kevin Swanson talking with a missionary who carry’s a loaded firearm and has pulled it twice will help? Mp3 or stream it.
Brief Sermon Overview:
It was July 25, 1993. A cadre of terrorists entered a church building in South Africa , in what turned out to be the most dramatic church attack in modern history. Armed with AK-47s and grenades, they were prepared to kill hundreds of parishioners. There was however, something they were not counting on - Charl Van Wyk and his 38 special revolver. Kevin Swanson interviews Charl on this experience and a more recent attack that occurred in July, 2008. Sometimes loving your neighbor as yourself does require obeying the Nehemiah 4:14 mandate….
Kevin does address Jim Elliots situation here and specifically addresses the current topic of someone in your home. mp3
A well-known reformed preacher in America is unwilling to protect his family from violent attack, because 'they're not ready for heaven, and we are.'Kevin Swanson establishes the biblical case for family defense, and encourages fathers and magistrates to shoot to kill for the glory of God and in love for Christ and your people. If you love Christ, you will keep his commandments, including those contained in Genesis 9:6, Acts 25:11, Neh. 4:14, and Exod. 22:2-4.He carefully analyzes the Jim Elliot martyrdom case, where missionaries refused to act in self defense when attacked by the natives.
Rob has made a great point with his questions concerning whether do we use a shorter Bible just to make it fair? Will we follow Jesus and historical Christianity? When Jesus said to make disciples, what else did they use to teach, other than the Old Testament, for a very long time. Every time Jesus or the apostle Paul, or even John is speaking/writing and they make some important point, it is based on, or reinforced with quotes of the Old Testament.
Jesus never negated his first testimony to us in the old testament. It was the perfect standard for society and he said so. If Jesus could’ve been given gray hair it would’ve been from his constant rebuking of the Pharisees for making the Law of God null and void by their human traditions.
Rom 3:31 Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law. (not for our righteousness but for behavior that is righteous in His sight.)
You cannot use the bible to come to this position without some serious cut and paste work:...." letting evil people kill you and your family because…"
Here's Kevin Swanson talking with a missionary who carry’s a loaded firearm and has pulled it twice will help? Mp3 or stream it.
Brief Sermon Overview:
It was July 25, 1993. A cadre of terrorists entered a church building in South Africa , in what turned out to be the most dramatic church attack in modern history. Armed with AK-47s and grenades, they were prepared to kill hundreds of parishioners. There was however, something they were not counting on - Charl Van Wyk and his 38 special revolver. Kevin Swanson interviews Charl on this experience and a more recent attack that occurred in July, 2008. Sometimes loving your neighbor as yourself does require obeying the Nehemiah 4:14 mandate….
Kevin does address Jim Elliots situation here and specifically addresses the current topic of someone in your home. mp3
A well-known reformed preacher in America is unwilling to protect his family from violent attack, because 'they're not ready for heaven, and we are.'Kevin Swanson establishes the biblical case for family defense, and encourages fathers and magistrates to shoot to kill for the glory of God and in love for Christ and your people. If you love Christ, you will keep his commandments, including those contained in Genesis 9:6, Acts 25:11, Neh. 4:14, and Exod. 22:2-4.He carefully analyzes the Jim Elliot martyrdom case, where missionaries refused to act in self defense when attacked by the natives.
We are victims of the great Christian coma partII
I first referenced a talk From Martin Selbrede on economics here.
I have since read all 5 position papers. They are written with a solid bilical foundation and from the perspective that the Lordship of Jesus exstends over all. This scares people. This scares Christians the most I think. I love to read writing like this. We are used to being amused. Which means to not think. The folks at Chalcedon make me think. Stretch your mind,learn to think like a Christian. Here are links to the other four papers.
, Education, Liberty, and the Bible ,
...The alleged intention of private school regulation is to insure
quality of education. But this is simply not true. The state has
never been interested in quality. Accreditation is a ruse used
by statists to maintain control. H.L. Mencken stated that “The
aim of public education is not to spread enlightenment at all;
it is simply to reduce as many individuals as possible to the
same safe level, to breed a standard citizenry, to put down
dissent and originality.”....
...The control of education by the state has a long, ominous
history. Emperor Julian of Rome acted against the Christians
by decreeing “the classics could only be taught by the pagans,
which meant the introduction of pagan teachers into Christian
schools. The curriculum had to include anti-Christian works.
One such required text was an anti-Christian and forged Acts
of Pilate, required reading for all schools”...
Judgment, Politics, and the Bible
...Neglecting God’s Word and entrusting the state to
handle poverty, education, or anything not expressly assigned
to it by God’s Word brings God’s curse. Jer. 17:5 treats the
person who trusts in man, who makes flesh their arm, as one
“whose heart departeth from the Lord.” To entrust the state
with prerogatives that God is holding us individually
accountable for means our hearts have departed from Him....
, National Defense and the Bible
...the failure of the civil magistrate (or in
modern terms, the civil government) to defend its citizens
from invading attackers is a transgression of God’s eternal
law. We are commanded, “Thou shalt not stand idly by the
blood of thy neighbor” (Lev. 19:16). Psalm 50 further
expands on the idea of “standing idly by,” indicating that it
constitutes actual consent to the evil being perpetrated. And
to consent to murder is regarded by God as being a party to
that murder, based on (1) Psalm 50:18’s elaboration of Lev.
19:16; (2) Saul of Tarsus’s consent to Stephen’s stoning at
Acts 8:1 and his later application of this law to himself at
Acts 22:20 when he confessed that “when the blood of thy
martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and
consenting unto his death” (to stand by Stephen’s blood was
to consent to his death)...
On the principle that “the
things that happened to them [Israel] are examples written
down as warnings for us” (I Cor. 10:11), we must remember
that all of Israel’s military campaigns that she initiated
independent of God failed and that all of Israel’s legitimate
wars were either defensive or involved the unique one-time
disinheritance of Canaan...
, Taxation, Liberty, and the Bible
...Property tax:
God owns the earth and everything in it (Ps. 24:1, Ex. 9:29, I
Cor. 10:26), so He alone can tax the land. He does so through
tithes, which are not the province of the state but of individuals,
the people. To tax property is to tax God, an idea understood
by America’s founding fathers, who denied Parliament
the power to tax real property in the first session of the
Continental Congress in 1774. Such taxation is an assertion of
the state’s authority over God, heralding a clash over
sovereignty between man and God. God, not man, is lord over
His creation; He is sovereign by right of ownership....
I have since read all 5 position papers. They are written with a solid bilical foundation and from the perspective that the Lordship of Jesus exstends over all. This scares people. This scares Christians the most I think. I love to read writing like this. We are used to being amused. Which means to not think. The folks at Chalcedon make me think. Stretch your mind,learn to think like a Christian. Here are links to the other four papers.
, Education, Liberty, and the Bible ,
...The alleged intention of private school regulation is to insure
quality of education. But this is simply not true. The state has
never been interested in quality. Accreditation is a ruse used
by statists to maintain control. H.L. Mencken stated that “The
aim of public education is not to spread enlightenment at all;
it is simply to reduce as many individuals as possible to the
same safe level, to breed a standard citizenry, to put down
dissent and originality.”....
...The control of education by the state has a long, ominous
history. Emperor Julian of Rome acted against the Christians
by decreeing “the classics could only be taught by the pagans,
which meant the introduction of pagan teachers into Christian
schools. The curriculum had to include anti-Christian works.
One such required text was an anti-Christian and forged Acts
of Pilate, required reading for all schools”...
Judgment, Politics, and the Bible
...Neglecting God’s Word and entrusting the state to
handle poverty, education, or anything not expressly assigned
to it by God’s Word brings God’s curse. Jer. 17:5 treats the
person who trusts in man, who makes flesh their arm, as one
“whose heart departeth from the Lord.” To entrust the state
with prerogatives that God is holding us individually
accountable for means our hearts have departed from Him....
, National Defense and the Bible
...the failure of the civil magistrate (or in
modern terms, the civil government) to defend its citizens
from invading attackers is a transgression of God’s eternal
law. We are commanded, “Thou shalt not stand idly by the
blood of thy neighbor” (Lev. 19:16). Psalm 50 further
expands on the idea of “standing idly by,” indicating that it
constitutes actual consent to the evil being perpetrated. And
to consent to murder is regarded by God as being a party to
that murder, based on (1) Psalm 50:18’s elaboration of Lev.
19:16; (2) Saul of Tarsus’s consent to Stephen’s stoning at
Acts 8:1 and his later application of this law to himself at
Acts 22:20 when he confessed that “when the blood of thy
martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by, and
consenting unto his death” (to stand by Stephen’s blood was
to consent to his death)...
On the principle that “the
things that happened to them [Israel] are examples written
down as warnings for us” (I Cor. 10:11), we must remember
that all of Israel’s military campaigns that she initiated
independent of God failed and that all of Israel’s legitimate
wars were either defensive or involved the unique one-time
disinheritance of Canaan...
, Taxation, Liberty, and the Bible
...Property tax:
God owns the earth and everything in it (Ps. 24:1, Ex. 9:29, I
Cor. 10:26), so He alone can tax the land. He does so through
tithes, which are not the province of the state but of individuals,
the people. To tax property is to tax God, an idea understood
by America’s founding fathers, who denied Parliament
the power to tax real property in the first session of the
Continental Congress in 1774. Such taxation is an assertion of
the state’s authority over God, heralding a clash over
sovereignty between man and God. God, not man, is lord over
His creation; He is sovereign by right of ownership....
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Free book on preparing for inflation
Inflation. Its coming. Out of desperation the government is throwing money all over the place, borrowing or printing it is all they can do. As the economy retracts it will be impossible to futher tax us without contracting the economy even futher. So the govt will do what every govt has done when facing this problem and that will be to print more money. Inflation is the result.
Gary North has given a link to what he said was the best book on preparing for something like this.
The most practical book ever written on hedging against inflation, written from the perspective of Austrian School economics.
I will start reading it because I have no clue of what to really expect and I have heard of no other book like this so I will start here. I trust in the Lord. But I fear my government. So I will at leaste check the book out. Thanks to Gary North my 401k did not get crushed like it did after the tech bubble and 911.
Gary North has given a link to what he said was the best book on preparing for something like this.
The most practical book ever written on hedging against inflation, written from the perspective of Austrian School economics.
I will start reading it because I have no clue of what to really expect and I have heard of no other book like this so I will start here. I trust in the Lord. But I fear my government. So I will at leaste check the book out. Thanks to Gary North my 401k did not get crushed like it did after the tech bubble and 911.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Insolvency is being transferred from the banking sector to the government sector.
Five Sundays To Nationalization
by Gary North
As a conservative, I grew up in the threat of socialism: the nationalization of the tools of production. What no one warned me was that this could be accomplished by way of a unique form of nationalization: the nationalization of insolvency.
We have lived through this process in 2008. The process will continue for several more years.
Insolvency is being transferred from the banking sector to the government sector. How much insolvency? So far in 2008, the government and the Federal Reserve System are on the hook for as much as an additional $7.7 trillion.....
This is a long column but shows clearly what has happened and which direction this government is going. It doesnt matter whether Republicans or Democrats had won the election because both give a free ride to whatever the Fed/Central bank does. Neither party understands how the fed was the great enabler for our economic maladies. The exception being Ron Paul.
by Gary North
As a conservative, I grew up in the threat of socialism: the nationalization of the tools of production. What no one warned me was that this could be accomplished by way of a unique form of nationalization: the nationalization of insolvency.
We have lived through this process in 2008. The process will continue for several more years.
Insolvency is being transferred from the banking sector to the government sector. How much insolvency? So far in 2008, the government and the Federal Reserve System are on the hook for as much as an additional $7.7 trillion.....
This is a long column but shows clearly what has happened and which direction this government is going. It doesnt matter whether Republicans or Democrats had won the election because both give a free ride to whatever the Fed/Central bank does. Neither party understands how the fed was the great enabler for our economic maladies. The exception being Ron Paul.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Gun Control:Jesus.... was more concerned that they be armed than that they be warm.
Having just spent a little time discussing this with some friends, I pass on two cents from Rc Sproul Jr about this subject...
What do we say to those who believe it is wrong to carry a concealed weopon for protection?
...One of the ironies of that particular movement is that it, I suppose like the temperance movement, began within liberal, mainline churches. It was actually a move away from the Bible. Christians ask, "What does the Word say I must do?" Liberals ask, "What would the Jesus of my imagination ask me to do?" They start out with an image of Jesus cooked up in their own minds, and discover, oddity of oddities, that what Jesus would do is what we wanted to do all along. Jesus, however, does what His Father wills, not what our imaginations want.
I can't tell you how often I've found myself engaged in debate with well meaning Christian pacifists. One of the most common arguments I heard was this sophisticated — I just can't imagine Jesus gunning down an enemy. I would sometimes ask, "Can you imagine Jesus saying to His disciples, 'But now let the one who has a moneybag take it and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who had no sword sell his cloak and buy one'" (Luke 22:36). That's right — Jesus wanted to be sure His disciples went out properly outfitted, and was more concerned that they be armed than that they be warm....
For more to chew on he also has this .....turning the other cheek....
What do we say to those who believe it is wrong to carry a concealed weopon for protection?
...One of the ironies of that particular movement is that it, I suppose like the temperance movement, began within liberal, mainline churches. It was actually a move away from the Bible. Christians ask, "What does the Word say I must do?" Liberals ask, "What would the Jesus of my imagination ask me to do?" They start out with an image of Jesus cooked up in their own minds, and discover, oddity of oddities, that what Jesus would do is what we wanted to do all along. Jesus, however, does what His Father wills, not what our imaginations want.
I can't tell you how often I've found myself engaged in debate with well meaning Christian pacifists. One of the most common arguments I heard was this sophisticated — I just can't imagine Jesus gunning down an enemy. I would sometimes ask, "Can you imagine Jesus saying to His disciples, 'But now let the one who has a moneybag take it and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who had no sword sell his cloak and buy one'" (Luke 22:36). That's right — Jesus wanted to be sure His disciples went out properly outfitted, and was more concerned that they be armed than that they be warm....
For more to chew on he also has this .....turning the other cheek....
...Letting everyone believe anything if they have Jesus in their hearts
In spite of the economic turmoil the real trouble for America is most of the church doesnt think that the Bible was given as the ultimate authority for all of life. A second problem for us is our inability to understand that we have elevated our own understanding, our hearts, to a position that God has reserved for his word.
"...How do we approach these things having been taught to fear intolerance, not error? How do we appeal to biblical standards when our Christians brothers differ with us, demanding that all ideas be accepted as equally valid? How do we call believers to universal biblical truths when they recognize no universal biblical truths when they recognize no universal biblical authority? Such theological individualism makes it easy to get along, but reduces Christianity to a least common denominator, letting everyone believe anything if they have Jesus in their hearts. ..."
From Bradley Heaths book "Millstones & Stumbling blocks"....
"...How do we approach these things having been taught to fear intolerance, not error? How do we appeal to biblical standards when our Christians brothers differ with us, demanding that all ideas be accepted as equally valid? How do we call believers to universal biblical truths when they recognize no universal biblical truths when they recognize no universal biblical authority? Such theological individualism makes it easy to get along, but reduces Christianity to a least common denominator, letting everyone believe anything if they have Jesus in their hearts. ..."
From Bradley Heaths book "Millstones & Stumbling blocks"....
Wilson is asking, how much more saving can the economy take?
From Doug Wilson.....
War, Theft or Fraud?
...Here is a quick reminder for everybody. When the lords of the earth roll out all this money that they are going to be distributing to us with loud whoops, there are only three basic ways for them to get it. Because, of course, before they give it to you, or to Citicorp, or to GM, or whoever, they must first obtain it somehow. I know, this is kind of "out there" economics, but work with me for a minute. In order to give it, they must first get it. How can the government get this money? They can take it from other countries, which is called war. They can take it from their own citizens, which is called taxes. Or they can print up a bunch of it, which inflates the currency, which is called, at least in my head, sneaky and reptilian taxes...
War, Theft or Fraud?
...Here is a quick reminder for everybody. When the lords of the earth roll out all this money that they are going to be distributing to us with loud whoops, there are only three basic ways for them to get it. Because, of course, before they give it to you, or to Citicorp, or to GM, or whoever, they must first obtain it somehow. I know, this is kind of "out there" economics, but work with me for a minute. In order to give it, they must first get it. How can the government get this money? They can take it from other countries, which is called war. They can take it from their own citizens, which is called taxes. Or they can print up a bunch of it, which inflates the currency, which is called, at least in my head, sneaky and reptilian taxes...
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Gary North on Thanksgiving
Some thoughts on Economics and Thanksgiving From Gary North :)
....The problem is, we look to the present, not to the past. We look at the marginal unit – the unit of economic decision-making – and not at the aggregate that we have accumulated. We assume that whatever we already possess is well-deserved – merited, we might say – and then we focus our attention on that next, hoped-for "util" of income.....whole thing
....The problem is, we look to the present, not to the past. We look at the marginal unit – the unit of economic decision-making – and not at the aggregate that we have accumulated. We assume that whatever we already possess is well-deserved – merited, we might say – and then we focus our attention on that next, hoped-for "util" of income.....whole thing
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Slicing up Gods word to our liking
There is a large segment of modern Christianity that will take certain verses and mount them on their walls. They get applied without context and balance and Doug Wilson spells it out perfectly. Like Wilson says, no one can blaspheme like an Evangelical can. Of course you can take any part of the gospel and narrow it, till its truth gets lost.
Mercy and No Mercy
One of the great dangers confronting those who would give themselves to mercy ministry is that of forgetting the antithesis. Biblical wisdom always remembers the antithesis, and places it where God has placed it. Forgetting the antithesis frequently consists of selecting a biblical virtue, absolutizing it, and using it to contradict or "balance" other biblical virtues. This is the basic (and very serious) error of the pacifist. The problem is not what he affirms so much, but rather what he denies....
Mercy and No Mercy
One of the great dangers confronting those who would give themselves to mercy ministry is that of forgetting the antithesis. Biblical wisdom always remembers the antithesis, and places it where God has placed it. Forgetting the antithesis frequently consists of selecting a biblical virtue, absolutizing it, and using it to contradict or "balance" other biblical virtues. This is the basic (and very serious) error of the pacifist. The problem is not what he affirms so much, but rather what he denies....
The Obama Birth certificate.
We are still waiting to see how this will turn out. We are just curious,thats all. From Doug Wilsons blog.
Either Way, Not Yet Viral
..the gentleman Berg who filed suit to obtain a copy of Obama's birth certificate before the election had his case dismissed because he didn't have "standing."....
...Souter did require Obama to provide the Supreme Court a vault copy of his birth certificate by December 1. The Electoral College does not meet to elect Obama as the president until December 13.
Obama could refuse to do what Souter required. If he does, then there are two possibilities. First, the country could "not care." Second, the country could care very much. If the country opts for the "can't be bothered" approach, then the Supreme Court could drop it (not likely), or do something that would make the country have to care....
Either Way, Not Yet Viral
..the gentleman Berg who filed suit to obtain a copy of Obama's birth certificate before the election had his case dismissed because he didn't have "standing."....
...Souter did require Obama to provide the Supreme Court a vault copy of his birth certificate by December 1. The Electoral College does not meet to elect Obama as the president until December 13.
Obama could refuse to do what Souter required. If he does, then there are two possibilities. First, the country could "not care." Second, the country could care very much. If the country opts for the "can't be bothered" approach, then the Supreme Court could drop it (not likely), or do something that would make the country have to care....
The nationalization of insolvency.
Gary North has some great insights. Its from the members side and lists out how on 5 different Sundays our nation was changed. And now the central banks latest fix involves trying to get americans easier credit. We arrived here by living beyond our means. But as far as the central bank is concerned, if that's what it takes...
As a conservative, I grew up in the threat of socialism: the nationalization of the tools of production. What no one warned me was that this could be accomplished by way of a unique form of nationalization: the nationalization of insolvency.
We have lived through this process in 2008. The process will continue for several more years.
Insolvency is being transferred from the banking sector to the government sector. How much insolvency? So far in 2008, the government and the Federal Reserve System are on the hook for as much as an additional $7.7 trillion....
...America's biggest banks are going bust or have gone bust. Little banks are toppling each week. There is no end in sight.
The government, which is running a trillion-dollar deficit this fiscal year, is adding ever more debt to save the favored banks. It is buying the banks' insolvency in the name of future taxpayers.
The buyers of Treasury debt and the Federal Reserve System are funding all of this. They think future taxpayers will pay them back. I don't. I think there will be a tax revolt: mass inflation.
Meanwhile, every dollar that flows into the Treasury does not flow into the private sector. The nationalization of insolvency continues. The authority of make decisions regarding who will get the shrinking supply of private savings that the banks have not already absorbed to keep their doors open have been transferred to a new generation of capitalists, people who live in fear of government regulators, not depositors.
The year 2008 has seen the end of free market financial capitalism. Forget about efficiency. Forget about stable economic growth. Forget about everything except solvency as defined in fiat money....
As a conservative, I grew up in the threat of socialism: the nationalization of the tools of production. What no one warned me was that this could be accomplished by way of a unique form of nationalization: the nationalization of insolvency.
We have lived through this process in 2008. The process will continue for several more years.
Insolvency is being transferred from the banking sector to the government sector. How much insolvency? So far in 2008, the government and the Federal Reserve System are on the hook for as much as an additional $7.7 trillion....
...America's biggest banks are going bust or have gone bust. Little banks are toppling each week. There is no end in sight.
The government, which is running a trillion-dollar deficit this fiscal year, is adding ever more debt to save the favored banks. It is buying the banks' insolvency in the name of future taxpayers.
The buyers of Treasury debt and the Federal Reserve System are funding all of this. They think future taxpayers will pay them back. I don't. I think there will be a tax revolt: mass inflation.
Meanwhile, every dollar that flows into the Treasury does not flow into the private sector. The nationalization of insolvency continues. The authority of make decisions regarding who will get the shrinking supply of private savings that the banks have not already absorbed to keep their doors open have been transferred to a new generation of capitalists, people who live in fear of government regulators, not depositors.
The year 2008 has seen the end of free market financial capitalism. Forget about efficiency. Forget about stable economic growth. Forget about everything except solvency as defined in fiat money....
Monday, November 24, 2008
We are putting on one bandaid at a time. What happens when they all need to changed at once?
This is like the story of the Dutch boy who has to plug the wholes in the dyke. We are entering the surreal range with the government saying it can stand behind 7.7 trillion dollars of bad debt if needed. This on top of other financial committments. I am at a loss of words for our hubris. Its like the government is placing itself over the markets almost as a god. The effort to kick this problem down the road like every other issue is all they know to do. There must not be pain now. So... who do we bail out next?
When the Dutch boy's Treasury Sec Paulsen and Fed chairmen Bernanke see that there are too many holes to plug,then what? If we have to make good on even a fraction of this where is the money coming from. There is no pile of money sitting anywhere that they can dip into.
At some point, instead of seeing a drfting down of the markets they will give us a drop the likes of which never seen , when its realized that the government cannot just dictate and what the values of things should be.
U.S. Pledges Top $7.7 Trillion to Ease Frozen Credit
By Mark Pittman and Bob Ivry
The U.S. government is prepared to provide more than $7.76 trillion on behalf of American taxpayers after ....
When the Dutch boy's Treasury Sec Paulsen and Fed chairmen Bernanke see that there are too many holes to plug,then what? If we have to make good on even a fraction of this where is the money coming from. There is no pile of money sitting anywhere that they can dip into.
At some point, instead of seeing a drfting down of the markets they will give us a drop the likes of which never seen , when its realized that the government cannot just dictate and what the values of things should be.
U.S. Pledges Top $7.7 Trillion to Ease Frozen Credit
By Mark Pittman and Bob Ivry
The U.S. government is prepared to provide more than $7.76 trillion on behalf of American taxpayers after ....
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Economics....we are victims of the great Christian coma..
A great position paper from Chalcedon on our economy. This is a delight to read!
Economic Crises and the Bible
Martin G. Selbrede
.....We live in an age where “the law is slacked” (Hab. 1:4).
We are “partial in the Law” (Mal. 2:9), victims of the great
American Christian coma, and so we tolerate the monetary
abominations God condemns. America uses fiat money, unbacked
by gold or silver, which constitutes the “divers weight
and measure” God hates....
...“False measures are called the treasures of wickedness,
the essential means of falsifying the life of a society” (Rushdoony).
Micah’s claim occurs in a highly quoted Old Testament
verse, Micah 6:8: “He has shown thee, O man, what is
good, and what doth the Lord require of thee, to do justly,
love mercy, and walk humbly with thy God.” Pastors routinely
sever this verse from its context (justice and money). It’s
universally quoted yet universally misunderstood...
...“He has shown thee, o man, what is good…” God has
shown us: we don’t have to create new policies. What is good
and just has been spelled out. Micah speaks to all men (“O
man”) – not just to Jews, but to Gentiles and to us today.
“…and what doth the Lord require of thee…” What is
good is what the Lord requires of us. What God requires is
for our good and achieves good personally and culturally.
What is required has been shown to us: it is not up in the air;
it is not in the New Testament (or the verse would have used
the future tense, “He will show thee, o man, what is good…”).
God has shown, past tense, in the Old Testament...
Economic Crises and the Bible
Martin G. Selbrede
.....We live in an age where “the law is slacked” (Hab. 1:4).
We are “partial in the Law” (Mal. 2:9), victims of the great
American Christian coma, and so we tolerate the monetary
abominations God condemns. America uses fiat money, unbacked
by gold or silver, which constitutes the “divers weight
and measure” God hates....
...“False measures are called the treasures of wickedness,
the essential means of falsifying the life of a society” (Rushdoony).
Micah’s claim occurs in a highly quoted Old Testament
verse, Micah 6:8: “He has shown thee, O man, what is
good, and what doth the Lord require of thee, to do justly,
love mercy, and walk humbly with thy God.” Pastors routinely
sever this verse from its context (justice and money). It’s
universally quoted yet universally misunderstood...
...“He has shown thee, o man, what is good…” God has
shown us: we don’t have to create new policies. What is good
and just has been spelled out. Micah speaks to all men (“O
man”) – not just to Jews, but to Gentiles and to us today.
“…and what doth the Lord require of thee…” What is
good is what the Lord requires of us. What God requires is
for our good and achieves good personally and culturally.
What is required has been shown to us: it is not up in the air;
it is not in the New Testament (or the verse would have used
the future tense, “He will show thee, o man, what is good…”).
God has shown, past tense, in the Old Testament...
Ethics and Dominion: An Economic Commentary on the Epistles.
Free book,economics. Gary north has just released another book on economics. As seen in the epistles? Its just the manuscript and covers from 2 Corinthians through Revelation.
From Gary north:
I am releasing the manuscript of my book, Ethics and Dominion: An Economic Commentary on the Epistles. You can download it for free by clicking here....
....This is the manuscript for the next installment of my series, An Economic Commentary on the Bible. I began writing the series in 1973.
This volume covers the epistles that follow First Corinthians.
The epistles extend the insights of the synoptic gospels: Matthew, Mark, and Luke. They deal with such issues as honesty, hard work, confidence in the earthly future, inheritance, and charity. Second Corinthians was a fund-raising letter.
The authors were committed to the private property order. There is no trace of anything resembling the social gospel in these letters.
Readers are encouraged to find typographical errors. Send corrections to garynorth@garynorth.com.
From Gary north:
I am releasing the manuscript of my book, Ethics and Dominion: An Economic Commentary on the Epistles. You can download it for free by clicking here....
....This is the manuscript for the next installment of my series, An Economic Commentary on the Bible. I began writing the series in 1973.
This volume covers the epistles that follow First Corinthians.
The epistles extend the insights of the synoptic gospels: Matthew, Mark, and Luke. They deal with such issues as honesty, hard work, confidence in the earthly future, inheritance, and charity. Second Corinthians was a fund-raising letter.
The authors were committed to the private property order. There is no trace of anything resembling the social gospel in these letters.
Readers are encouraged to find typographical errors. Send corrections to garynorth@garynorth.com.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
More Palin and Debra
A glimpse at the future?
Here is a source for Argentina financial news. Argentina defaulted on its debt in 2001 and to see what has happened to that nation gives a hint at what things might be like when America finally defaults. It will default at some point. There is no effort here to cut back on spending. With the commitments that have been made to SS, medicaid, medicare and prescription drugs. Even without any of the "bail out" spending the US was forcasting a debt of over 90 trillion dollars in the years ahead.
I have posted a previous link to an individual describing what life is now like there.
Iceland is just beginning its journey down this same road with their near default this year. Inflation has just started to take off. Zimbabwe takes the cake, in 2006 they had a 100,000 dollar bill and now they have 100,000,000 bills two years later.
Argentina is now seizing all the private retirement accounts (401k's)
I have posted a previous link to an individual describing what life is now like there.
Iceland is just beginning its journey down this same road with their near default this year. Inflation has just started to take off. Zimbabwe takes the cake, in 2006 they had a 100,000 dollar bill and now they have 100,000,000 bills two years later.
Argentina is now seizing all the private retirement accounts (401k's)
Saving is a dirty word
Even though the Fed is inflating at the rate of 800% it has been sitting in the banks rather than moving into the economy. So it feels deflationary. For now.
Should We Worry About Deflation?
Daily Article by Doug French
....Yes, the current economics brain trust is worried that consumers will collectively show the good sense to delay purchases, pay down debt, and increase their savings. After all, this liquidation of malinvestments will likely take a while. The prudent thing to do in times of uncertainty is not to ramp up debt and spend money you don't have.
But now, all of a sudden, "saving" is a dirty word. According to Evans-Pritchard, savings "also redistributes wealth—the wrong way. Savings appreciate, which is nice for the 'rentiers' with capital. The effect is a large transfer of income from working people with mortgages to bondholders."
Of course sounder-thinking economists don't see deflation as evil, as Jörg Guido Hülsmann points out in his just-published Deflation & Liberty: "it fulfills the very important social function of cleansing the economy and the body politic from all sorts of parasites that have thrived on the previous inflation.".....
....While central bankers furiously try to reinflate, cheered on by the mainstream financial media, monetary authorities should deflate the money supply, pulling in their horns as consumers are doing. Deflation is a "great liberating force," writes Hülsmann, "because it destroys the economic basis of the social engineers, spin doctors, and brain washers."....
Should We Worry About Deflation?
Daily Article by Doug French
....Yes, the current economics brain trust is worried that consumers will collectively show the good sense to delay purchases, pay down debt, and increase their savings. After all, this liquidation of malinvestments will likely take a while. The prudent thing to do in times of uncertainty is not to ramp up debt and spend money you don't have.
But now, all of a sudden, "saving" is a dirty word. According to Evans-Pritchard, savings "also redistributes wealth—the wrong way. Savings appreciate, which is nice for the 'rentiers' with capital. The effect is a large transfer of income from working people with mortgages to bondholders."
Of course sounder-thinking economists don't see deflation as evil, as Jörg Guido Hülsmann points out in his just-published Deflation & Liberty: "it fulfills the very important social function of cleansing the economy and the body politic from all sorts of parasites that have thrived on the previous inflation.".....
....While central bankers furiously try to reinflate, cheered on by the mainstream financial media, monetary authorities should deflate the money supply, pulling in their horns as consumers are doing. Deflation is a "great liberating force," writes Hülsmann, "because it destroys the economic basis of the social engineers, spin doctors, and brain washers."....
Monday, November 17, 2008
In the name of helping, the first casualty is usually Gods word
Made it to Ovids coming out party on tues at Jasons house with Rob and Gabe. (the Needs were first mentioned here) We came in the door as they were discussing limited atonement which was Sundays message from Rob. Had a great time in the car with the Hudelson’s on the way to and from East LA, working the word. Some thoughts.
(Background: Jason contacted the Need’s about coming to Phoenix and helping in the office of elder? I was so blown away by this. Yes! Import seniors into your church! But there is no catalogue for ordering them…Oh look dear …here’s a nice couple from Virginia…oooh! oooh! they embrace Gods Law! His wife even wants to teach the younger women! Pinch me. Here’s the order number…..)
At the examination meeting ( We did talk about wearing black rodes and hoods and bringing wooden paddles to the meeting, but Sean reminded us that this isnt the Mason's) when Jason made a point about how there are mystery's of the faith, things we cannot fully understand. You follow the clear word, take it as it is, and at a certain point we in the finite have to just acknowledge that he is God and we cannot understand it all. We acknowledge our limitedness. That helped me to breathe a sigh of relief (anyone hear me that night?) as I have had just so many accepted paradigms exploded by the word. I seem to have a constant vegetable platter full of things that I don’t fully understand. But there it is in black and white in the Word.
As we re-establish the biblical basis of fathers being priests of their households, of trying to break off of us the training we all received to be none thinkers, to be slackers, to be cool and go with the flow. It will take a lot of exhortation to get back to what was a normal understanding of what we are to be as men.
A concern was brought up (loosely) on whether teaching of the word can be too narrow focused. You wonder...don’t we have to do something about these families where the father has no inclination to be trying...or maybe there is no father, etc, etc.
Our government extends its control over society on this basis. Something is not right or unjust, of course it would be in-humane to not address the issue. By recognizing a need they also extend to themselves an absolute right to then try and fix it. The fact that in the process they exceed their jurisdiction or charter or mandate is seen as quibbling. Like expecting the ambulance to stop for red lights or stay inside the speed limit. This is an emergency!
This is "normal", "rational thinking" and we believers get comfortable with it because it is used all around us. Add to it, that from inside the church we have the Godly admonition to "love one another."
But just as we cannot go make sanctions against error, or sin, missing the mark, recognizing that God will give instructions’ to us and most of the time doesn’t assign a penalty for not doing it. So a whole lot of care must be taken or we will be right back where we came from with much of the modern church that has embraced the humanist understanding of compassion. Too much of our thinking is still captive to modern paradigms. Next thing you know you have all manner of boutique programsin the chruch to take car of issues that are not right, situations we think they are wrong, maybe unjust. “Slap on the siren, we gotta do something…”
The extreme example that Kevin Swanson gave, of the guy looking for a church with a program for “ twice divorced, children of alcoholic parents” group.
Gods word gives a framework and role assignment as part of His " divine blueprint", as Otto Scott called it. Gods Law.
Conclusion:
My mind still fights it, but I know. No matter what the societal problem is, it will be most effectively addressed if those parts of the culture that can submit to Gods order, his roles, do it. This will in turn provide the best atmosphere, the best soil, culture, for God to be the father to the fatherless.
Our frame of reference is screwed up, its been the culture around us. Society has been the standard, it is what too many Christians reference as normal. The world say’s we must do something now and will mortgage the future to do it today in the name of compassion.
We must look 100yrs down the road and with the word as our reference say we will first be obedient to Him. We will not ignore those around us but be ready to help. This should come from within Gods paradigm. We are in transition,It is kind of a mystery to us, wont the world fall apart if we keep trying to fix the fathers?
(Background: Jason contacted the Need’s about coming to Phoenix and helping in the office of elder? I was so blown away by this. Yes! Import seniors into your church! But there is no catalogue for ordering them…Oh look dear …here’s a nice couple from Virginia…oooh! oooh! they embrace Gods Law! His wife even wants to teach the younger women! Pinch me. Here’s the order number…..)
At the examination meeting ( We did talk about wearing black rodes and hoods and bringing wooden paddles to the meeting, but Sean reminded us that this isnt the Mason's) when Jason made a point about how there are mystery's of the faith, things we cannot fully understand. You follow the clear word, take it as it is, and at a certain point we in the finite have to just acknowledge that he is God and we cannot understand it all. We acknowledge our limitedness. That helped me to breathe a sigh of relief (anyone hear me that night?) as I have had just so many accepted paradigms exploded by the word. I seem to have a constant vegetable platter full of things that I don’t fully understand. But there it is in black and white in the Word.
As we re-establish the biblical basis of fathers being priests of their households, of trying to break off of us the training we all received to be none thinkers, to be slackers, to be cool and go with the flow. It will take a lot of exhortation to get back to what was a normal understanding of what we are to be as men.
A concern was brought up (loosely) on whether teaching of the word can be too narrow focused. You wonder...don’t we have to do something about these families where the father has no inclination to be trying...or maybe there is no father, etc, etc.
Our government extends its control over society on this basis. Something is not right or unjust, of course it would be in-humane to not address the issue. By recognizing a need they also extend to themselves an absolute right to then try and fix it. The fact that in the process they exceed their jurisdiction or charter or mandate is seen as quibbling. Like expecting the ambulance to stop for red lights or stay inside the speed limit. This is an emergency!
This is "normal", "rational thinking" and we believers get comfortable with it because it is used all around us. Add to it, that from inside the church we have the Godly admonition to "love one another."
But just as we cannot go make sanctions against error, or sin, missing the mark, recognizing that God will give instructions’ to us and most of the time doesn’t assign a penalty for not doing it. So a whole lot of care must be taken or we will be right back where we came from with much of the modern church that has embraced the humanist understanding of compassion. Too much of our thinking is still captive to modern paradigms. Next thing you know you have all manner of boutique programsin the chruch to take car of issues that are not right, situations we think they are wrong, maybe unjust. “Slap on the siren, we gotta do something…”
The extreme example that Kevin Swanson gave, of the guy looking for a church with a program for “ twice divorced, children of alcoholic parents” group.
Gods word gives a framework and role assignment as part of His " divine blueprint", as Otto Scott called it. Gods Law.
Conclusion:
My mind still fights it, but I know. No matter what the societal problem is, it will be most effectively addressed if those parts of the culture that can submit to Gods order, his roles, do it. This will in turn provide the best atmosphere, the best soil, culture, for God to be the father to the fatherless.
Our frame of reference is screwed up, its been the culture around us. Society has been the standard, it is what too many Christians reference as normal. The world say’s we must do something now and will mortgage the future to do it today in the name of compassion.
We must look 100yrs down the road and with the word as our reference say we will first be obedient to Him. We will not ignore those around us but be ready to help. This should come from within Gods paradigm. We are in transition,It is kind of a mystery to us, wont the world fall apart if we keep trying to fix the fathers?
Saturday, November 15, 2008
The Constitution is paper, and nothing else.
From Doug Wilson Battlefields and Museums
....Christendom is largely gone, and it has eroded just as much in nations that are still explicitly Christian on paper (like Great Britain) as in nations like ours that are implicitly Christian. Unless you are worshipping the true God, and you are doing so in spirit and in truth, you cannot maintain the truth about anything. Unless you continue to love God, writing everything down in solemn assembly will preserve nothing.
The Constitution is paper, and nothing else. The thing that matters is always the unwritten Constitution, written on human hearts. This is because the human heart always reflects the will of its idol. This is why appeals to the Constitution during the Obama years will be in vain -- they will be in vain for the same reason they have been in vain for the last century or so. People always obey their gods, and what they obey reveals the identity of those gods. And they always delight to ignore the words, the heritage, and the legacy of the previous gods.
This is why Christians need to stop waving the paper records that prove the identity of the "previous God." That doesn't matter -- the central pleasure of the current regime is to ignore the legacy of the previous God...
....Christendom is largely gone, and it has eroded just as much in nations that are still explicitly Christian on paper (like Great Britain) as in nations like ours that are implicitly Christian. Unless you are worshipping the true God, and you are doing so in spirit and in truth, you cannot maintain the truth about anything. Unless you continue to love God, writing everything down in solemn assembly will preserve nothing.
The Constitution is paper, and nothing else. The thing that matters is always the unwritten Constitution, written on human hearts. This is because the human heart always reflects the will of its idol. This is why appeals to the Constitution during the Obama years will be in vain -- they will be in vain for the same reason they have been in vain for the last century or so. People always obey their gods, and what they obey reveals the identity of those gods. And they always delight to ignore the words, the heritage, and the legacy of the previous gods.
This is why Christians need to stop waving the paper records that prove the identity of the "previous God." That doesn't matter -- the central pleasure of the current regime is to ignore the legacy of the previous God...
Thursday, November 13, 2008
I have already printed out my application for bail out money!
Dont wait and be the last one to apply for a govenment bail out!
Need some Government money? apply now!
Heres the link to print out your own application for bail out money. I got mine!
Hat tip to Gary North for this article, amazing ...
A Town Drowns in Debt as Home Values Plunge
Washington's $5 Trillion Tab
.....David Hendler, an analyst at CreditSights, says it looks as if government is left holding the bag, and of course that translates into everyone.
"The losses have to be taken, but no one wants to take them," Hendler said at a conference Wednesday, speaking about the banks and their handling of troubled assets. "It seems like the taxpayers are going to be taking a good portion of that."
GE Wins FDIC Insurance for Up to $139 Billion in Debt
Like I said, dont be last for a baal out.
Need some Government money? apply now!
Heres the link to print out your own application for bail out money. I got mine!
Hat tip to Gary North for this article, amazing ...
A Town Drowns in Debt as Home Values Plunge
Washington's $5 Trillion Tab
.....David Hendler, an analyst at CreditSights, says it looks as if government is left holding the bag, and of course that translates into everyone.
"The losses have to be taken, but no one wants to take them," Hendler said at a conference Wednesday, speaking about the banks and their handling of troubled assets. "It seems like the taxpayers are going to be taking a good portion of that."
GE Wins FDIC Insurance for Up to $139 Billion in Debt
Like I said, dont be last for a baal out.
We missed the revolution
This was from Gary north today, from the member side. I think he is very correct....
Having Terrorized Congress into Submission, Paulson Changes the Rules. No Opposition. Congress Was Conned.
Gary North, November 13, 2008
A MarketWatch story announced:
....Paulson is making this up as he goes along. He did not know what he was doing last September. He still doesn't.
He and Bernanke terrorized Congress with dire warnings if Congress did not pony up $700 billion of taxpayers' money. Taxpayers knew it was a con job. Congress voted for it anyway. It's just like taking candy from babies. It never fails....
....I know. You have too much to read. But consider this. If you had read this at age 20, and you had believed it, would you be in re-learning mode today? Would the events since September 7, when Paulson nationalized the housing market, have come as a surprise? This is a fundamental text. Here is how it begins.
There are those who still think they are holding the pass against a revolution that may be coming up the road. But they are gazing in the wrong direction. The revolution is behind them. It went by in the Night of Depression, singing songs to freedom.
There are those who have never ceased to say very earnestly, "Something is going to happen to the American form of government if we don't watch out." These were the innocent disarmers. Their trust was in words. They had forgotten their Aristotle. More than 2,000 years ago he wrote of what can happen within the form, when "one thing takes the place of another, so that the ancient laws will remain, while the power will be in the hands of those who have brought about revolution in the state."
Keep this phrase in mind: revolution within the form.
Having Terrorized Congress into Submission, Paulson Changes the Rules. No Opposition. Congress Was Conned.
Gary North, November 13, 2008
A MarketWatch story announced:
....Paulson is making this up as he goes along. He did not know what he was doing last September. He still doesn't.
He and Bernanke terrorized Congress with dire warnings if Congress did not pony up $700 billion of taxpayers' money. Taxpayers knew it was a con job. Congress voted for it anyway. It's just like taking candy from babies. It never fails....
....I know. You have too much to read. But consider this. If you had read this at age 20, and you had believed it, would you be in re-learning mode today? Would the events since September 7, when Paulson nationalized the housing market, have come as a surprise? This is a fundamental text. Here is how it begins.
There are those who still think they are holding the pass against a revolution that may be coming up the road. But they are gazing in the wrong direction. The revolution is behind them. It went by in the Night of Depression, singing songs to freedom.
There are those who have never ceased to say very earnestly, "Something is going to happen to the American form of government if we don't watch out." These were the innocent disarmers. Their trust was in words. They had forgotten their Aristotle. More than 2,000 years ago he wrote of what can happen within the form, when "one thing takes the place of another, so that the ancient laws will remain, while the power will be in the hands of those who have brought about revolution in the state."
Keep this phrase in mind: revolution within the form.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
It has gotten in$ane.
The question now is, who isnt asking for a handout? Some note worthy Articles, from Lew Rockwell....
Stop the Bailout Conga Line
Librarians and Other Keynesians
and from other sources...
I like Doug French...
History Is ClearMore fiat money won’t solve this crisis; a return to sounder money will
The first casualty of the crisis: Iceland
Stop the Bailout Conga Line
Librarians and Other Keynesians
and from other sources...
I like Doug French...
History Is ClearMore fiat money won’t solve this crisis; a return to sounder money will
The first casualty of the crisis: Iceland
Learning new stuff
Oh boy. I’m learning a new software program and It just kills me on how much time it takes to learn a new program. Plus I’m needing to modify some of the computer hardware as part of this, it becomes a consuming monster! Since last Saturday it has gobbled up all my spare time. No blogging no nothing. I'm still working on it.
Observation: I think it would be absolutely staggering to know how many people make up the "koom by uh" vote. I’m am very surprised at mow many saw this as a quasi Age of Aquarius, harmony and understanding, no one hungry, brotherhood of man vote. How many millions, voted for a dream, a fantasy. Peace, justice......obtainable without God?
By the shear force of thinking happy thoughts. Humanism. Believe the dream.
Observation: I think it would be absolutely staggering to know how many people make up the "koom by uh" vote. I’m am very surprised at mow many saw this as a quasi Age of Aquarius, harmony and understanding, no one hungry, brotherhood of man vote. How many millions, voted for a dream, a fantasy. Peace, justice......obtainable without God?
By the shear force of thinking happy thoughts. Humanism. Believe the dream.
A weeks worth of New York Times ,contains more information than a person was likely to come across during the 1700’s
I watched something that Gary North highlighted, a you tube video that showed how rapidly everything is changing. His point was that politicians wont be able to control it all. At the end it spelled out “shift happens”. Stressing how everything is changing. The video is designed to overwhelm you with what is happening and coming.
I noticed something else while watching it. At one point the video was emphasizing how much new info is being learned. Here are some snipits, with my thoughts afterwards………
1)There are more than 3000 new books published daily.
2)Its estimated that a weeks worth of New York Times ,contains more information than a person was likely to come across during the 1700’s
3)It is estimated that 1.5 exabytes (1.5x1018) of uniqe information will be generated worldwide this year, that’s estimated to be more than in the previous 5000 years
4)The amount of new technical information is doubling every 2 years
5)For students starting a four year technical or college degree, this means that half of what they learn their first year of study will be outdated by their third year of study.
Ok, not one piece of all this new information changes any truth from Gods word. Its not that it is new info being created but that deeper complexities of Gods creation are being discovered. Without Gods word none of these additional facts will have any meaning. God and his word will always, no matter how much more is revealed, stand over it all and claim it all for his own glory. No matter how much more info comes, none of it will eclipse the importance of the foundational truths about creation, mankind and the good news of the gospel that is revealed to man from the Bible.
To continue and develop a proper understanding of Gods Laws and his truths from his Word will be exponentially more important for our children’s, children than anything or even all that which springs forth from any of the five factoids above.
In life, If we can grasp this, its like dominating the four center squares on a chess board. You control the game. All the information will be like powerful cards from a none trump suit. Any of them can be beaten by a two from Gods trump suit.
The truth is always sourced and emanates from God and his word. Nothing springing from the factoids above will give anyone understanding or purpose for life. People will be just as lost, while thinking they are more in control.
I believe its call “Did You Know?” and is pretty affective.
I noticed something else while watching it. At one point the video was emphasizing how much new info is being learned. Here are some snipits, with my thoughts afterwards………
1)There are more than 3000 new books published daily.
2)Its estimated that a weeks worth of New York Times ,contains more information than a person was likely to come across during the 1700’s
3)It is estimated that 1.5 exabytes (1.5x1018) of uniqe information will be generated worldwide this year, that’s estimated to be more than in the previous 5000 years
4)The amount of new technical information is doubling every 2 years
5)For students starting a four year technical or college degree, this means that half of what they learn their first year of study will be outdated by their third year of study.
Ok, not one piece of all this new information changes any truth from Gods word. Its not that it is new info being created but that deeper complexities of Gods creation are being discovered. Without Gods word none of these additional facts will have any meaning. God and his word will always, no matter how much more is revealed, stand over it all and claim it all for his own glory. No matter how much more info comes, none of it will eclipse the importance of the foundational truths about creation, mankind and the good news of the gospel that is revealed to man from the Bible.
To continue and develop a proper understanding of Gods Laws and his truths from his Word will be exponentially more important for our children’s, children than anything or even all that which springs forth from any of the five factoids above.
In life, If we can grasp this, its like dominating the four center squares on a chess board. You control the game. All the information will be like powerful cards from a none trump suit. Any of them can be beaten by a two from Gods trump suit.
The truth is always sourced and emanates from God and his word. Nothing springing from the factoids above will give anyone understanding or purpose for life. People will be just as lost, while thinking they are more in control.
I believe its call “Did You Know?” and is pretty affective.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Election night thoughts
Does this mean we are finally not a racist nation anymore? Now will even the race baiting industry have massive layoff's? When the lion doesn't lay down with the lamb, and we don't get free gas, who will get the blame? It for sure wont be their policies. What will the stock market do tomorrow?
I have been reflecting over what all my work for the Republicans over the years brought forth in the way of fruit. The republicans had a humanistic agenda and it gave us a country, humanistic enough, to embrace Obama as a messiah? Because it wasn’t what the other guys were, which was crazy, it seemed like a worthy thing to fight for. But it really was just as crazy at its foundation. It just hadn't been pushed to its logical conclusion yet. It didn’t even need to be pushed because “as you sow, so shall you reap.” But at its foundation it was not…”the fear of the lord is the beginning of knowledge.”
Explicitly, Obama has openly played on peoples covetousness. Republicans by not accepting the biblical position and commandment to hate covetousness, implicitly approve covetousness. We get conditioned to accept it at some level. You become desensitized to the sin. Of course at a reasonable level of coveting. The reasonable level is not as seen and set by God. But rather by enough degrees less than the other guys so that we feel safe.
I now think we as a nation we are in more danger from Republicans in power than Democrats. We have given humanistic Republicans a pass. At least they didn’t spit on us. Meanwhile Gods word is true and when Jesus said “ if you are not with me, you are against me.” He meant it. The Republicans cannot help the nation because they are even more worried about “traction” than the Christians are. Which is the real problem. We have tried to clean Jesus up, given him a make over. “He loves you and wants you to have a better life.”
To think ,two years ago I would've been fearful if the Republicans didn't win. Start waving the end times flag as I'm sure many Christians are tonight. Its too bad because we have a lot of work to do and its not in Washington where it needs to be done. Its in our homes and Church's.
I am not hoping for a big train wreck so that people will re-embrace Republicans again. (the train wreck is happening even as some will be tempted to send another train down the same track in an attempt to clean off the debris, "If we just go faster") I am hoping that the Republicans will be finished and possibly this will make room for a Constitution party or even a more explicitly biblical Party. Alas It will probably be seen as time..."for the nation to get a taste of this liberal stuff til it comes out their nostril's. Then they will sweep in Debra, I mean Ester..." I believe even the Chrisitans have now spent enough time being "trained to like" this liberal stuff that many voted for it. After you have had Starbucks Obama, many will not want conservative Folgers anymore.
Short term, next few years, I think Obama policies will be the equivalent of a pillow over the face of the economy that’s already wheezing on the Bed.
.JPG)
What we are nourishing in our homes. That's what will count.
I like what Wilson said, something to the affect that Gods sovereignty is not on the ballot.
I have been reflecting over what all my work for the Republicans over the years brought forth in the way of fruit. The republicans had a humanistic agenda and it gave us a country, humanistic enough, to embrace Obama as a messiah? Because it wasn’t what the other guys were, which was crazy, it seemed like a worthy thing to fight for. But it really was just as crazy at its foundation. It just hadn't been pushed to its logical conclusion yet. It didn’t even need to be pushed because “as you sow, so shall you reap.” But at its foundation it was not…”the fear of the lord is the beginning of knowledge.”
Explicitly, Obama has openly played on peoples covetousness. Republicans by not accepting the biblical position and commandment to hate covetousness, implicitly approve covetousness. We get conditioned to accept it at some level. You become desensitized to the sin. Of course at a reasonable level of coveting. The reasonable level is not as seen and set by God. But rather by enough degrees less than the other guys so that we feel safe.
I now think we as a nation we are in more danger from Republicans in power than Democrats. We have given humanistic Republicans a pass. At least they didn’t spit on us. Meanwhile Gods word is true and when Jesus said “ if you are not with me, you are against me.” He meant it. The Republicans cannot help the nation because they are even more worried about “traction” than the Christians are. Which is the real problem. We have tried to clean Jesus up, given him a make over. “He loves you and wants you to have a better life.”
To think ,two years ago I would've been fearful if the Republicans didn't win. Start waving the end times flag as I'm sure many Christians are tonight. Its too bad because we have a lot of work to do and its not in Washington where it needs to be done. Its in our homes and Church's.
I am not hoping for a big train wreck so that people will re-embrace Republicans again. (the train wreck is happening even as some will be tempted to send another train down the same track in an attempt to clean off the debris, "If we just go faster") I am hoping that the Republicans will be finished and possibly this will make room for a Constitution party or even a more explicitly biblical Party. Alas It will probably be seen as time..."for the nation to get a taste of this liberal stuff til it comes out their nostril's. Then they will sweep in Debra, I mean Ester..." I believe even the Chrisitans have now spent enough time being "trained to like" this liberal stuff that many voted for it. After you have had Starbucks Obama, many will not want conservative Folgers anymore.
Short term, next few years, I think Obama policies will be the equivalent of a pillow over the face of the economy that’s already wheezing on the Bed.
.JPG)
What we are nourishing in our homes. That's what will count.
I like what Wilson said, something to the affect that Gods sovereignty is not on the ballot.
What will tomorrow bring?
From Blog and Mablog. Wilson has a list of ten things to remember in the aftermath of this election. I like them all, a couple here to tease....A kennel fed pastor?!?
Ten Things to Keep in Mind After the Election
.....5. Don't doubt in the dark what you knew in the light. The late Francis Schaeffer taught evangelical Christians to think like Christians as they engaged with unbelief in the public square. But a goodly number of his proteges, disciples, and name-appropriators have begun to "engage with the culture" in a way that looks more like going native than it looks like missionary work. Melancthons fall apart more rapidly than they used to. Get used to it, but don't you do it....
7. Learn something about economics. Please.....
9. Count the cost. Freedom of expression is part of our Christian heritage, and one of the things we are fighting for is the right to that expression. We cannot lose the tree and keep the fruit of it. When the laws come, as they will, prohibiting (for example) condemnation of homosexual behavior, then count the cost. And the very next Sunday, start your sermon series on the sins of sodomy. The first message should provide the introduction, and allow the congregation to count the cost as well. They might want a heads up -- some of them might think it prudent to head over to a more docile church, one with a kennel-fed pastor.....
Ten Things to Keep in Mind After the Election
.....5. Don't doubt in the dark what you knew in the light. The late Francis Schaeffer taught evangelical Christians to think like Christians as they engaged with unbelief in the public square. But a goodly number of his proteges, disciples, and name-appropriators have begun to "engage with the culture" in a way that looks more like going native than it looks like missionary work. Melancthons fall apart more rapidly than they used to. Get used to it, but don't you do it....
7. Learn something about economics. Please.....
9. Count the cost. Freedom of expression is part of our Christian heritage, and one of the things we are fighting for is the right to that expression. We cannot lose the tree and keep the fruit of it. When the laws come, as they will, prohibiting (for example) condemnation of homosexual behavior, then count the cost. And the very next Sunday, start your sermon series on the sins of sodomy. The first message should provide the introduction, and allow the congregation to count the cost as well. They might want a heads up -- some of them might think it prudent to head over to a more docile church, one with a kennel-fed pastor.....
Monday, November 3, 2008
Books:money and banking
For those wanting to do a little make up for the absolutely wretched, pathetic , brain washing that was given to us in govt school you can try these two books that Gary North today was high lighting. Free downloads. From his Web site Specific Answers
“Dr. Murray Rothbard was the author of the best introduction to money ever written, What Has Government Done to Our Money? (1964). You can download it free here.”
“He was the author of the best college-level textbook on money and banking, The Mystery of Banking (1983). You can download it here.”
“Dr. Murray Rothbard was the author of the best introduction to money ever written, What Has Government Done to Our Money? (1964). You can download it free here.”
“He was the author of the best college-level textbook on money and banking, The Mystery of Banking (1983). You can download it here.”
Family worship
.JPG)
After reading our bibles tonight the family sang three songs declaring Gods sovereignty over America and over who we vote for. They spend millions on this campaign,we sing songs as part of Gods campaign.
Update for bearded women post
From my bearded women post I referenced a book of election sermon's. You can view the book for free, I believe you can download it too.
Douglas Wilson on this election
Wilson has put up a final post before election day. It has been on the election that I have disagreed with him the most. I normally find myself embracing most of his thoughts and he has taught me a lot!!! I thank God for him. i insert it here for those who might want to exercise their worldview, straw man, logic skills, etc. He is always interesting. but in this case he doesn't see biblical direction form God to us. God bless you Mr Wilson and I am looking forward to your Hitchens debate DVD.
A Festival of Self-Deception Topic: Politics
The election is tomorrow and regardless of how it goes, it will be nice to have something else to talk about, like where in the back yard we should bury the family silver. But in the time remaining, here are just a few relevant observations....
A Festival of Self-Deception Topic: Politics
The election is tomorrow and regardless of how it goes, it will be nice to have something else to talk about, like where in the back yard we should bury the family silver. But in the time remaining, here are just a few relevant observations....
China's headache
This is a sign of the times. This why those foreign "emerging" market mutual funds are getting creamed! China has never had a recession before.They have been inflating like crazy. This will compound the economic mess. From the LA Times.
Some owners deserting factories in China By Don Lee
….And just like that, China's biggest textile dye operation -- with four factories, a campus the size of 31 football fields, 4,000 workers and debts of at least $200 million -- was history."We're pretty much dead now," said Mao Youming, one of 300 suppliers stiffed last month by Tao's company, Jianglong Group. Lighting a cigarette in a coffee shop here, the 38-year-old spoke calmly about the bleak future of his industrial gas business. Tao owed him $850,000, Mao said, about 60% of his annual revenue. "We cannot pay our workers' salaries. We are about to be bankrupt too."Government statistics show that 67,000 factories of various sizes were shuttered in China in the first half of the year, said Cao Jianhai, an industrial economics researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
By year's end, he said, more than 100,000 plants will have closed.
As more factories in China shut down, stories of bosses running away have become familiar, multiplying the damage of China's worst manufacturing decline in at least a decade….
Some owners deserting factories in China By Don Lee
….And just like that, China's biggest textile dye operation -- with four factories, a campus the size of 31 football fields, 4,000 workers and debts of at least $200 million -- was history."We're pretty much dead now," said Mao Youming, one of 300 suppliers stiffed last month by Tao's company, Jianglong Group. Lighting a cigarette in a coffee shop here, the 38-year-old spoke calmly about the bleak future of his industrial gas business. Tao owed him $850,000, Mao said, about 60% of his annual revenue. "We cannot pay our workers' salaries. We are about to be bankrupt too."Government statistics show that 67,000 factories of various sizes were shuttered in China in the first half of the year, said Cao Jianhai, an industrial economics researcher at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.
By year's end, he said, more than 100,000 plants will have closed.
As more factories in China shut down, stories of bosses running away have become familiar, multiplying the damage of China's worst manufacturing decline in at least a decade….
Dross and Debt
From Lew Rockwell. Mr Fedeko has some observations that are on target too. I think he correctly can see the problem, IE that government shouldn't’t be doing what the family and church should be doing. But he uses this column to make a point about how our silver has become dross.
Dross and Debt by Jim Fedako
….Both major party candidates have platforms that appeal to many Christians….
….I can understand the ends sought by these two sets of Christians. Improving the lot of the poor and protecting the family are indeed worthy ends. However, we must consider the means used to achieve those ends.
The agent responsible for employing the means is government – not God or His church, but government and its associated bureaucrats and minions. The agent is worldly, as are its resources. Now many Christians have no issue with government acting on their behalf. They see government as a valid means to perform works in the name of God’s church….
Dross and Debt by Jim Fedako
….Both major party candidates have platforms that appeal to many Christians….
….I can understand the ends sought by these two sets of Christians. Improving the lot of the poor and protecting the family are indeed worthy ends. However, we must consider the means used to achieve those ends.
The agent responsible for employing the means is government – not God or His church, but government and its associated bureaucrats and minions. The agent is worldly, as are its resources. Now many Christians have no issue with government acting on their behalf. They see government as a valid means to perform works in the name of God’s church….
God Allows error....
“…God allows error, men should not deny to one another what God allows…”
Otto’s constitution talk, free mp3
Let me admit my bias, I really, really like reading Otto Scott. Listening isn’t quite as good, as he is a bit on the dry side with his presentation. But he is always very interesting, very readable! It Was Morecraft on a “history of the world” set who first mentioned Otto Scott and his “the Great Christian revolution” as the most readable history of the reformation. I loved it. He does deeper digging than most, works from original documents and such. He doesn’t spare anyone with his observations, “good guys” and “ bad guys” he will point out where they missed it. He determines that by Gods word. Mr Scott used the bible as his reference point, he knew what the standard was.
I finished listening to his talk on the constitution on my morning work ride. With work being so slow I have had abundant writing time at work. Could you tell?
Anyway this is such an informative talk. We get upset at what we see as transgressions to the constitution today. When you listen to this mp3 you find out how long ago the attack on it started, by 1800 it was in full swing. He spends this talk displaying how it was circumvented through the 1800’s.
I did feel like I am very late to the crime scene. He used the term we have been taught “slogan” history to keep us ignorant.
At the end he gave this observation that should be part of our ever present thinking in our brain as we interact with each other on these emails and with each other in the Church.
“…original sin exists in all, it should not result in recriminations or condemnation, every one is fallible and all men err, God allows error, men should not deny to one another what God allows, recognition of error is the first step in its repair…”
We are gonna need to get comfortable with this idea, or we will wind up real uncomfortable with each over.
We will not be able to afford that, In the days and years to come.
Otto’s constitution talk, free mp3
Let me admit my bias, I really, really like reading Otto Scott. Listening isn’t quite as good, as he is a bit on the dry side with his presentation. But he is always very interesting, very readable! It Was Morecraft on a “history of the world” set who first mentioned Otto Scott and his “the Great Christian revolution” as the most readable history of the reformation. I loved it. He does deeper digging than most, works from original documents and such. He doesn’t spare anyone with his observations, “good guys” and “ bad guys” he will point out where they missed it. He determines that by Gods word. Mr Scott used the bible as his reference point, he knew what the standard was.
I finished listening to his talk on the constitution on my morning work ride. With work being so slow I have had abundant writing time at work. Could you tell?
Anyway this is such an informative talk. We get upset at what we see as transgressions to the constitution today. When you listen to this mp3 you find out how long ago the attack on it started, by 1800 it was in full swing. He spends this talk displaying how it was circumvented through the 1800’s.
I did feel like I am very late to the crime scene. He used the term we have been taught “slogan” history to keep us ignorant.
At the end he gave this observation that should be part of our ever present thinking in our brain as we interact with each other on these emails and with each other in the Church.
“…original sin exists in all, it should not result in recriminations or condemnation, every one is fallible and all men err, God allows error, men should not deny to one another what God allows, recognition of error is the first step in its repair…”
We are gonna need to get comfortable with this idea, or we will wind up real uncomfortable with each over.
We will not be able to afford that, In the days and years to come.
Faithful with a little
The world is holding its breadth. Who will win? What new policies will come about? What direction is America going?
The real story as always, is what is God doing? God’s attention is always on his people, the ones called by his name.
God isn’t waiting to see tomorrows results. I do think his…” eyes rove to and fro throughout the earth to see if any fear him”….. Did you read the word with your family tonight?
Are we discipling our kids to fear Gods word and his Law. Our we explaining the temptations that come to set aside his word in the name of “things are just too crucial right now” How daily the enemy will whisper in our ear, ”you can figure it out.”
We have heard it a million times from the word, we must become like little children. Who trust their father’s, even though we don’t deserve the trust too often. Our heavenly Father though, always deserves the trust. When he says this is right and this is wrong it is absolute. Rob did a great Job at our Reformation party pressing in to everyone, we must pass on what God has done, We must tell our children’s children. Reformation!
Family worship, husbands and wives co-laboring for the glory of God. This is Gods chosen method. Church’s of dominion oriented families. This and not tomorrows election will lay the foundation of what is seen a hundred years from now.
There are no TV cameras at your house, the radio and newspapers will not stop in tomorrow to see what you think, what you believe , or what you confess. But our children will be there. We seek after their hearts so they will listen. Yes it is by God’s hand that any fruit will come. But if we have been instructed to do this “that you may be blessed” then we can expect and pray for his abundant blessing!
Faithful in the little things. Will we find out some day that it wasn’t so little?
The real story as always, is what is God doing? God’s attention is always on his people, the ones called by his name.
God isn’t waiting to see tomorrows results. I do think his…” eyes rove to and fro throughout the earth to see if any fear him”….. Did you read the word with your family tonight?
Are we discipling our kids to fear Gods word and his Law. Our we explaining the temptations that come to set aside his word in the name of “things are just too crucial right now” How daily the enemy will whisper in our ear, ”you can figure it out.”
We have heard it a million times from the word, we must become like little children. Who trust their father’s, even though we don’t deserve the trust too often. Our heavenly Father though, always deserves the trust. When he says this is right and this is wrong it is absolute. Rob did a great Job at our Reformation party pressing in to everyone, we must pass on what God has done, We must tell our children’s children. Reformation!
Family worship, husbands and wives co-laboring for the glory of God. This is Gods chosen method. Church’s of dominion oriented families. This and not tomorrows election will lay the foundation of what is seen a hundred years from now.
There are no TV cameras at your house, the radio and newspapers will not stop in tomorrow to see what you think, what you believe , or what you confess. But our children will be there. We seek after their hearts so they will listen. Yes it is by God’s hand that any fruit will come. But if we have been instructed to do this “that you may be blessed” then we can expect and pray for his abundant blessing!
Faithful in the little things. Will we find out some day that it wasn’t so little?
The perfect Candidate, we just want
I don't think anyone is looking for a perfect candidate. Qualified, as defined by God, is what I am looking for. I'm not worried about winning anymore.
Since the early 80's that was what I cared for. I have celebrated a whole bunch of wins over that period. But I am now convinced that these wins were on paper only. The culture continued to be lost and the rate of the loss seemed to speed up. Now I'm talking about the culture inside the church. I would rather see a ton of losses as Gods people try to be obedient and trust our future to him. His world, His Law, His methods.
I was pulling Robs tail when he forwarded the email about the waiter and he ended with Disney's Jiminy Cricket's famous quote "Let your conscience be your guide" I know Rob didn’t mean it in the Oprah , Jiminy cricket understanding and he clarified nicely in his follow up. Most people do think it is a quote from the bible. Tonight I added a quote from Rushdoony on this topic to my blog and include it here.
"...Modern autonomous man regards as sin, if he considers the subject at all, only that which offends his conscience. But Biblical law holds that sin and lawlessness can occur without knowledge and without conscience. Man, in fact, may sin with good conscience, but this does not alter the fact that he sins: the criterion of transgression is not man's conscience but the law of God....Rushdoony, The institutes of Biblical Law Vol1
How my family is voting on the props, unless someone shows me how I violate one of Gods jurisdictional spheres or his word in an explicit or implicit manner.
100 yes
101 yes
102 yes
103 no , removes land from individual opportunity of dominion, revenue stream for humanist education , how much $ does it take to teach kids to give in, to their sinful inclinations?
104 yes
105 yes, as worded makes it very hard to raise taxes by ballot, which is the preferred way it’s been done.
200 no
201 no
202 no
203 no
300 yes
I will vote for sheriff joe. His position is really as a law enforcement officer, not a law maker. As best I can tell he has tried to protect the populace. This in a nutshell is what God told the magistrate to do. By next election maybe I will understand differently....
I am praying that God will increase our wisdom by the next round of elections. This time we might only have enough understanding to make a narrow application of his word. May we be faithful with that at least. Funny how big the earthquake was in just trying to apply a teeny tiny amount. :)
We have our bibles open!!!! that's the biggeeee! Crying out for wisdom! Its huge. One hundred years from now, look out!
Since the early 80's that was what I cared for. I have celebrated a whole bunch of wins over that period. But I am now convinced that these wins were on paper only. The culture continued to be lost and the rate of the loss seemed to speed up. Now I'm talking about the culture inside the church. I would rather see a ton of losses as Gods people try to be obedient and trust our future to him. His world, His Law, His methods.
I was pulling Robs tail when he forwarded the email about the waiter and he ended with Disney's Jiminy Cricket's famous quote "Let your conscience be your guide" I know Rob didn’t mean it in the Oprah , Jiminy cricket understanding and he clarified nicely in his follow up. Most people do think it is a quote from the bible. Tonight I added a quote from Rushdoony on this topic to my blog and include it here.
"...Modern autonomous man regards as sin, if he considers the subject at all, only that which offends his conscience. But Biblical law holds that sin and lawlessness can occur without knowledge and without conscience. Man, in fact, may sin with good conscience, but this does not alter the fact that he sins: the criterion of transgression is not man's conscience but the law of God....Rushdoony, The institutes of Biblical Law Vol1
How my family is voting on the props, unless someone shows me how I violate one of Gods jurisdictional spheres or his word in an explicit or implicit manner.
100 yes
101 yes
102 yes
103 no , removes land from individual opportunity of dominion, revenue stream for humanist education , how much $ does it take to teach kids to give in, to their sinful inclinations?
104 yes
105 yes, as worded makes it very hard to raise taxes by ballot, which is the preferred way it’s been done.
200 no
201 no
202 no
203 no
300 yes
I will vote for sheriff joe. His position is really as a law enforcement officer, not a law maker. As best I can tell he has tried to protect the populace. This in a nutshell is what God told the magistrate to do. By next election maybe I will understand differently....
I am praying that God will increase our wisdom by the next round of elections. This time we might only have enough understanding to make a narrow application of his word. May we be faithful with that at least. Funny how big the earthquake was in just trying to apply a teeny tiny amount. :)
We have our bibles open!!!! that's the biggeeee! Crying out for wisdom! Its huge. One hundred years from now, look out!
The family Blog
My wife has started a Blog that is about our family life . Find it here. She is doing a great job with it. You can see what we have been reading, lots of reviews. Don’t worry there is nothing there to plug up the drain pipes or turn your hair white. many of the pictures are password protected, email and ask for the password if we know you.
Reformation!
When my family visited Swansons Reformation church and got to spend a little time with his family I was still bubbling about Otto Scott and we talked about him. At their men's meeting that Weds Kevin mentioned how he had dug up Scotts, The Great Christian Revolution and was going to use it for family devotional reading. On his show Friday, reformation day he talked about the book and the importance of ideas as he commemorated Reformation day.
I am re-reading this book now and enjoying it again. Might read it to my family too.
I am re-reading this book now and enjoying it again. Might read it to my family too.
The close race and my preference for Obama
How can McCain still be so close? With the exception of the 1979,1980 and interest rates in the teen’s, I cannot remember the economy as bad as this.
Our economy has been stern raked by a three decker. Honestly I thought republicans would take the blame and be crushed
Its weird but I actually would rather see Obama win, than McCain. Now I am not one of those who thinks we need to finish going to hell in a hand basket quickly so Jesus can return. Why?
We have yoked ourselves to the Republicans because rationally no one else has a chance. The Democrats are beyond the pale so that leaves, these guys. But we have to ignore Gods directives to us because only these guys have a chance to stop_____( fill in the blank abortion, socialism, communism etc, etc)
Now the whole time that we with the Republicans try and take the nation on a less direct route to the cliff something else keeps happening. That is more and more of the population becomes inoculated to the idiocy of the left. The nation is slowly trained to appreciate what used to be considered madness. I am including most of the church in this.
This is from Barnas recent research, the Christian pollster. The continuing trend from this pollster is how the Christian community looks more and more like the pagan community.
American Spirituality Gives Way to Simplicity and the Desire to Make a Difference
….How does the Christian community compare on these self-perceptions? In many ways, the self-perceptions of born again Christians are remarkably similar to those of Americans who are not born again….
….Yet, on social awareness, matters of lifestyle, and the desire for simplicity, the self-identities of born agains and others were very similar. Only two of the non-spiritual self-perceptions showed any difference, and those gaps were minimal: born again Christians were slightly more likely than others to see themselves as making a positive difference in the world (83% versus 74%, respectively) and slightly more likely to be fulfilling personal life calling (76% to 67%).…..
When we try to slow democrats down this way, it means we are not doing what God said to do. “in all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct you path…” this train of thought is part and parcel with my proposition that humanistic and pragmatic behavior will get you more Humanism. I bet Bush never had an inkling that his administration would preside over one of the largest expansions of government ever. Not enough principle, too much, we gotta do something!
Our economy has been stern raked by a three decker. Honestly I thought republicans would take the blame and be crushed
Its weird but I actually would rather see Obama win, than McCain. Now I am not one of those who thinks we need to finish going to hell in a hand basket quickly so Jesus can return. Why?
We have yoked ourselves to the Republicans because rationally no one else has a chance. The Democrats are beyond the pale so that leaves, these guys. But we have to ignore Gods directives to us because only these guys have a chance to stop_____( fill in the blank abortion, socialism, communism etc, etc)
Now the whole time that we with the Republicans try and take the nation on a less direct route to the cliff something else keeps happening. That is more and more of the population becomes inoculated to the idiocy of the left. The nation is slowly trained to appreciate what used to be considered madness. I am including most of the church in this.
This is from Barnas recent research, the Christian pollster. The continuing trend from this pollster is how the Christian community looks more and more like the pagan community.
American Spirituality Gives Way to Simplicity and the Desire to Make a Difference
….How does the Christian community compare on these self-perceptions? In many ways, the self-perceptions of born again Christians are remarkably similar to those of Americans who are not born again….
….Yet, on social awareness, matters of lifestyle, and the desire for simplicity, the self-identities of born agains and others were very similar. Only two of the non-spiritual self-perceptions showed any difference, and those gaps were minimal: born again Christians were slightly more likely than others to see themselves as making a positive difference in the world (83% versus 74%, respectively) and slightly more likely to be fulfilling personal life calling (76% to 67%).…..
When we try to slow democrats down this way, it means we are not doing what God said to do. “in all your ways acknowledge him and he shall direct you path…” this train of thought is part and parcel with my proposition that humanistic and pragmatic behavior will get you more Humanism. I bet Bush never had an inkling that his administration would preside over one of the largest expansions of government ever. Not enough principle, too much, we gotta do something!
Voting is Imoral?
I read this article today about Problems with modern Government and by extension the author asserts that voting is immoral.
Some of these comments, from Rick Dunaway, are a perfect bulls eye “the desperation to cling to long and deeply held beliefs versus the consideration of the validity of a new set of facts.”
And this one…”, the idea that mankind can change the Laws of God provided a majority of mankind reach an agreement on such a change” This lie evicted Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden (although they outnumbered God two to one),…..
Or “..are merely window dressing, calculated to provide justification for ignoring the Laws of God, and substituting the laws of man..”
Beautiful. When the words of men align with Gods Word to accurately describe something, I just love how it feels. Like when you hit the ball with the bat perfectly,or fire a string of rounds and you were steady on the front site and you didn't flinch or twich on any of the shots, you know its gonna be a nice group. Like butta.
I will take those three statements and re-read them and think about them. They will give my brain a more tangible expression, for what Gods word calls us too. No other Gods before me. As I read the Word and am mulling, meditating on stuff it will be easier to make connections. God says its all tied together. But he also says that it is the glory of kings to search a matter out.
I disagree with Mr. Dunaway's over arching assertion that voting is immoral. But heartily agree with his observations on what our system is and does in violation of Gods Law. If Gods warning on not electing covetous men was understood, it would've taken care of the problem. That is the real problem. Gods own people hold his Law at arms length. Most of the time its just considered as irrelevant.
When Bastiat wrote his book called “the Law” it illustrated this problem of covetousness so well. But by the end of the book he has to just make an assertion on justice, what it is, and without reference to Gods Law. Bastiats Justice is left to just hang in mid air which make it ripe pickings for it to be defined away by another generation. That’s why it all must be tied to Gods Law. It is easier to see what the smooth tongued ones are trying to do when Gods word is the Standard. Amen, Hallelujah! Gods Law, in or out, with me or against me.
There will be those areas that we cannot figure out how to apply Gods word. The problem is not that Gods word is unclear.
Imagine that Gods word lays out parameters for constructing things both explicitly and implicitly. Like blue prints. If you then build , say an entire city, but you really haven't been using the blue prints for one hundred and fifty years. It will be really hard to go and try to apply the blue prints at the present point in time. The harder it is to see how it fits, is like a witness from God on how far we have strayed from his design for that area of life. It is not a testimony to how mysterious His ways are. It also does not follow that we then throw it out because we have trouble making parts fit like they should.
Voting Is Immoral
by Rick Dunaway
…it should be noted that most individuals will have one of three predictable reactions to the following dilemma: the desperation to cling to long and deeply held beliefs versus the consideration of the validity of a new set of facts. First, what we can call the ostrich response: to bury one's head in the sand and pretend no controversy exists. Second, the inconvenient justification, involving staunch refusal to consider the facts laid out, despite their indisputable nature, and seeking to justify actions to render said inconvenient facts inapplicable. Finally, there is the old stand-by of killing the messenger; if the individual attempting to demonstrate the truth can be discredited, then one has no conundrum to reconcile….
…Benjamin Franklin stated "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for dinner." This is one of Satan's most evil tricks, the idea that mankind can change the Laws of God provided a majority of mankind reach an agreement on such a change….
Democratically elected legislative bodies are merely window dressing, calculated to provide justification for ignoring the Laws of God, and substituting the laws of man. Ultimately designed to create an air of legitimacy for the winning group of voters, the result is political rape of the losing group of voters….
God's conversation with Samuel. God said to Samuel, "...they have not rejected you...they have rejected Me from being king over them...they have forsaken Me and served other gods..." (emphasis mine). Today, Americans have chosen not only to reject God as King and to serve other gods, including the god of democracy (man-rule), but also to replace His Laws in favor of man's laws
Whole article here
Some of these comments, from Rick Dunaway, are a perfect bulls eye “the desperation to cling to long and deeply held beliefs versus the consideration of the validity of a new set of facts.”
And this one…”, the idea that mankind can change the Laws of God provided a majority of mankind reach an agreement on such a change” This lie evicted Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden (although they outnumbered God two to one),…..
Or “..are merely window dressing, calculated to provide justification for ignoring the Laws of God, and substituting the laws of man..”
Beautiful. When the words of men align with Gods Word to accurately describe something, I just love how it feels. Like when you hit the ball with the bat perfectly,or fire a string of rounds and you were steady on the front site and you didn't flinch or twich on any of the shots, you know its gonna be a nice group. Like butta.
I will take those three statements and re-read them and think about them. They will give my brain a more tangible expression, for what Gods word calls us too. No other Gods before me. As I read the Word and am mulling, meditating on stuff it will be easier to make connections. God says its all tied together. But he also says that it is the glory of kings to search a matter out.
I disagree with Mr. Dunaway's over arching assertion that voting is immoral. But heartily agree with his observations on what our system is and does in violation of Gods Law. If Gods warning on not electing covetous men was understood, it would've taken care of the problem. That is the real problem. Gods own people hold his Law at arms length. Most of the time its just considered as irrelevant.
When Bastiat wrote his book called “the Law” it illustrated this problem of covetousness so well. But by the end of the book he has to just make an assertion on justice, what it is, and without reference to Gods Law. Bastiats Justice is left to just hang in mid air which make it ripe pickings for it to be defined away by another generation. That’s why it all must be tied to Gods Law. It is easier to see what the smooth tongued ones are trying to do when Gods word is the Standard. Amen, Hallelujah! Gods Law, in or out, with me or against me.
There will be those areas that we cannot figure out how to apply Gods word. The problem is not that Gods word is unclear.
Imagine that Gods word lays out parameters for constructing things both explicitly and implicitly. Like blue prints. If you then build , say an entire city, but you really haven't been using the blue prints for one hundred and fifty years. It will be really hard to go and try to apply the blue prints at the present point in time. The harder it is to see how it fits, is like a witness from God on how far we have strayed from his design for that area of life. It is not a testimony to how mysterious His ways are. It also does not follow that we then throw it out because we have trouble making parts fit like they should.
Voting Is Immoral
by Rick Dunaway
…it should be noted that most individuals will have one of three predictable reactions to the following dilemma: the desperation to cling to long and deeply held beliefs versus the consideration of the validity of a new set of facts. First, what we can call the ostrich response: to bury one's head in the sand and pretend no controversy exists. Second, the inconvenient justification, involving staunch refusal to consider the facts laid out, despite their indisputable nature, and seeking to justify actions to render said inconvenient facts inapplicable. Finally, there is the old stand-by of killing the messenger; if the individual attempting to demonstrate the truth can be discredited, then one has no conundrum to reconcile….
…Benjamin Franklin stated "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for dinner." This is one of Satan's most evil tricks, the idea that mankind can change the Laws of God provided a majority of mankind reach an agreement on such a change….
Democratically elected legislative bodies are merely window dressing, calculated to provide justification for ignoring the Laws of God, and substituting the laws of man. Ultimately designed to create an air of legitimacy for the winning group of voters, the result is political rape of the losing group of voters….
God's conversation with Samuel. God said to Samuel, "...they have not rejected you...they have rejected Me from being king over them...they have forsaken Me and served other gods..." (emphasis mine). Today, Americans have chosen not only to reject God as King and to serve other gods, including the god of democracy (man-rule), but also to replace His Laws in favor of man's laws
Whole article here
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)