Thursday, December 09, 2004
Number Ten
To you my Beloved Number Ten child:
I am a multi-billionaire and You are my headstrong child. You and your 9 brothers/sisters have gone out and stolen the crown jewels from the queen mother, sold them and frittered away the money in various sinful ways. Subsequently you were all caught and the government of the United Kingdom worked a deal where they would not execute you if the sum of a Billion dollars in reparations were paid for each of you. You have been released on your own recognizance but have been made well aware of the fact that a judgement day is coming at some point in the future?My sacrifice was given At the New York Stock Exchange when I publicly set up 10 irrevocable trust accounts with a Billion dollars in each then laid out some simple rules for claiming the money:
You must acknowledge the FACT that I am your father and love me accordingly.
You must realize the FACT that what you?ve done was wrong and STRIVE to change for the better.
You must acknowledge and receive my sacrifice and be thankful for it.
The Money was a free gift already paid and not refundable yet statistically so far 90% of the money goes unclaimed for some very strange and convoluted reasons.
*Your first sibling denied the fact that I even existed despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Maybe the delusion was comforting up until the time they strapped him into the chair and pulled the switch.
*Your second sibling acknowledged I existed but thought she had come about by an accident with the Primordial Pool guy or an alien Mailman. This in and of itself did not disqualify her as long as she recognized my hand in raising her but it caused her to have terrible problems grasping rules 2 and 3. Seemed a shame to see her scream her way into the gas chamber because of misguided guesses and suspicions about her heritage.
*Your third sibling knew I was her father but Hated me for some wrong her siblings did and falsely claimed I put them up to. I loved her so and it was difficult to hear the gruesome details of her hanging.
*Your fourth sibling knew that I was his father and loved me greatly, but had rationalized his actions and could not see where he had done anything wrong. Those stuffy Brits never used those jewels anyhow and it is unfair how everyone was getting between him and the pleasure he deserved. The firing squad shot him as he extolled the unfairness of it all.
*Your fifth sibling accepted the offer willingly, paid the Billion dollars and, when judgement day arrived, he received a full pardon for his transgressions and came to live happily with me at my mansion. You probably find him extremely annoying because he tries to sell you on doing the same thing and sometimes makes you feel self-conscious because of his naiveté in Striving to change for the better clashes with your own lifestyle which is more mainstream.
*Your sixth sibling Found your fifth sibling utterly annoying because he knew five was not perfect and continued to make mistakes and seemed to be just plain "holier-than-thou". "Sure I drink my Liquor, lie, cheat and steal, but at least I don't condemn other people like that nasty hypocrite--I would rather die than live like that fake" .....He did.
*Your Seventh sibling was prideful, had a good job and decided he wouldn't accept this charity. He determined that he would work the off the debt himself. The $137,423 dollars he came up with was a bit short of the Billion required but he figured he might be able to cut some sort of deal. He rehashed his thinking as they were giving him the lethal injection, but it was too late.
*Sibling Eight acknowledged me as the father and loved me accordingly. Eight was a generally upstanding and moral citizen give or take the crown jewels thing and a little greed, pride and envy. He realized that what he did was wrong and had no problem with the "Strive to do better" concept. His only problem was that he doubted whether or not there was a billion dollars there. He doubted that the sacrifice had occurred, after all there were only a few thousand eyewitnesses there at the stock exchange at the time and since he was not there himself he could only rely on the secondhand and written accounts of the occurrence. There were even a lot of highly educated and intelligent people writing about how it was all a fake. Why would his father do this for him? Why should He waste his time attempting to claim this gift which to his mind probably did not exist. Once he actually pulled up outside the NY stock exchange but changed his mind at the last second. Would it not be totally embarrassing to walk down the aisle at the stock exchange with all those people watching? Number Five told him "Trust me it's there. I accepted it and it paid for my crimes and now I'm living happily without the burden of judgement hanging over me". The answer "Poor number Five, you are probably delusional. Haven't you read your science books? Psychologically speaking people just don't make sacrifices like that and I don't think there will be a final judgement anyhow. ". He mused that even if there were a judgement obeying the first two rules would probably keep the stiff necked Queen off his back. "I love my very rich father and I am being good now, sort of...well, at least better than number three and six!" he was heard to say. "Sorry, that may be so, but the debt is still unpaid for you refused to accept the gift" was heard as the axe fell on his neck.
*Your Ninth sibling was politically connected and relied on some rich relatives to raise the money so he would not have to depend on me. Uncle Mohammed and Aunt Krishna Promised him the full amount and, although they had a lot more rules for claiming the money (which he followed religiously) on execution day they were determined to be bankrupt and were accordingly burned at the stake with sibling Nine.
**Where do you stand number ten.
I am indeed your father. I want to cleanse you of your wrongdoing and clothe you in righteousness.
I Love you and do not want to see you die.
I want you to acknowledge and accept this gift.
I want to give you life and love.
It breaks my heart what has happened to my other children and I want more for you.
The gift is free, No strings other than love attached.
Is loving so hard?
Will you reject me too on equally senseless grounds?
Please come to my mansion and into my compassionate arms!
YOU are LOVED number Ten
The Father
This is a modern day parable for the Plan of Salvation.
The Father is indeed GOD.
The Sacrifice-Infinetely more precious and harder to match than a Billion dollars is The Lord Jesus Christ who died painfully on a cross for Your sins.
The three simple rules remain the same.
The Mansion is Heaven.
The various methods of death represent an eternity in Hell.
The Love is real.
*Number one is an atheist who believes that the complexity of the universe was derived from the chaos of nothingness and people evolved from rocks in direct contravention to the second law of thermodynamics, mathematical probability and common sense in knowing that complex things do not come from simple things without outside intelligent influence.
*Number two believes that there is some higher being out there, but has become confused by societal beliefs in evolution, un-testable theories of origins and modern interpretations of miraculous phenomena. There are many in this world who make their best guess about what happened thousands, millions, or even billions of years ago and then present it as absolute fact. Combine this with the opposition of the Catholic (read organized/political/traditional religion) Church in the past to some known scientific facts (I.E. round world etc...) and you have created a skeptical hearer if they group all Christians or religions into one lump.
*Number three blames GOD for all the problems the sin nature of man creates (I.E. the Inquisition/IRA bombings etc...) and/or personal problems which all men face (financial difficulties, death of loved ones etc...). A perfect Just and Loving God has to allow men the free will to choose Between good and evil, otherwise we would be mere tools or robots incapable of Love, Programmed in all our actions. Unfortunately many men choose to do evil and disobey GOD. This choice of man to do evil is the cause of almost all human suffering. Death and sickness are a natural side effect of the original sin and everybody's health will eventually fail them. Most of our problems can be traced back to some failing on our part or to the failing of another human.
*Number four cannot see that he did anything wrong. He looks around at all the other sinful humans and finds somebody he can compare himself to favorably then pronounces himself as "A good person" who deserves more out of life. Rationalization can cover many different topics: "I may have killed two people in a barroom fight but at least I'm not a serial killer like that guy!", "I cheat a little on my income taxes but I am not an outright thief like him.", " I may tell little white lies but that guy is a pathological liar". All people are capable of finding something they are not as "bad" at when compared to another flawed human. The problem is GOD does not measure us against other humans, but by a GODLY standard. That is why he provided the gift of grace. Acceptance of the sacrifice of the sinless Jesus is the only thing that can bring you up to the standard.
*Number five is the basic believer. Not perfect but forgiven. Not Righteous but cleansed by the righteousness of GOD. Having been delivered from certain death there is a natural desire on their part to share the good news. Often we do not do it well and sometimes we offend. We cannot understand why any would reject this free gift. We have nothing personal to gain by your acceptance of it, we do not get part of your salvation or "billion" as the case may be. It should not be said that you have to give up drinking, smoking, extramarital sex, drugs and gambling to obtain the kingdom of heaven, You do not, although once delivered from a lost condition there are varying degrees of desire to do so. These are just outwardly visible sins that get the most attention from other people. Even believers continue to have inappropriate thoughts and actions, it is just that usually the outward sins are tended to first because of human nature and wanting to "appear" less sinful. The Drug addict male prostitute who has accepted the salvation of Jesus Christ will make it into heaven while the Bishop, Preacher or Pope who has not will find himself in Hell. You just follow the three simple steps provided:Love GODRepent of Your Sins. Strive for sinlessness. (notice I did not say you would be sinless)Appreciate and Believe in the Life, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ as payment for the sins YOU have committed and will commit. Receive him into your heart.
*Number six has many of the same problems as number four. He has also mistakenly condemned and judged all Saved people as being hypocrites and fakes who are "judging him" while ignoring the hypocrisy required for him to make such a judgement. He operates under the delusional concept that all people who go to church are supposed to be, and claim to be, perfect and when they are not perfect he has proven all of Christianity to be fake. In reality the people that are born again believers are drawn from the community at large and as such are representative of that community with the same frailties and tendencies. In some way or another all people are hypocrites. The only difference is; The Saved ones recognized the fact that they were imperfect sinners and have been forgiven and tried to change. It has been said and I agree " I would rather be in Heaven with the Saved hypocrites than in hell with the rest of them". Double standard: A secular president has an affair and the atheist says "So, that's his personal life" but when an Evangelist has an affair they Scream "Lying Hypocrites, They don't practice what they preach" Despite the fact that they were both flawed human beings fighting the same temptations and sexual opportunities that fame causes. The truth is that Pride, greed, Drunkenness and Promiscuity and many other things are wrong and sinful and a Christian should identify them as such, but while we are to hate those sins in ourselves and others we are to love the sinner, since we all fall into that category. The hypocrisy defense is a form of deluded self preservation since it allows the sinner to go on sinning without feeling convicted about it because "The Perfect People" are sinning too. The problem is that just because other people are sinning (all do) it does not excuse the sin you do yourself...Only Jesus can excuse/cleanse that.
*Number seven - Pride has blinded him to the possibility of getting anything so easily. He is trying to work out his own way to heaven. He failed to realize the impossibility of the task. No matter how good he is he can never attain the goal on his own. GOD is a perfect and just GOD who has set down the rules and made them simple so that any person may attain them. GODS perfect justice demands that the price be paid in full and HE has already provided you with a means to pay it asking only love and trust in return. If he allowed any thing less than full payment he would no longer be a perfectly just God and would become a "depends upon the situation" situational ethics sub-god. There are many church going, godly seeming people who have not grasped the basic fact that you have to believe with your heart in all of these three easy steps or all the church functions and charitable giving in the world will not keep them out of Hell. GOD does not grade on a curve. Some have the mistaken impression that there is a large cosmic karma scale where you heap the good deeds on one side and the bad on the other and if the good outweighs the bad you go to Heaven. The problem is in this scenario is that a perfect GOD cannot allow any sin into his perfect Heaven and thus one bad deed would far outweigh a billion good ones. The only way to win in this situation is to have the blood of the sacrificed Christ scrub clean the bad side of the scale, once freed from the counterbalance of evil the good side will float with you on up to Heaven when judgement day comes. The only alternative is that you should consider those tiny un-scrubbed sins as the satanic Mafia's concrete shoes dragging you and your good deeds into the depths.
*Number Eight is pretty much your average citizen who has done a few bad things here and there. He Claims to be a Christian because it's a family tradition and he believes in God, Prays when in trouble and on the appropriate holidays and goes to church when the fancy strikes him. Eight sees the Bible as a good book, maybe a little flawed or mistranslated since it was written by men and figures Jesus must have been a pretty swell guy. On occasion he has felt convicted and almost committed his life to Christ but held back because he might get embarrassed or have to give something up or did not feel worthy or became confused by satans' many pseudoscientific and seemingly logical lies. Be very aware! This one short life you have is neither horseshoes nor hand grenades. Hell is not one degree cooler for the one who squeaks "I Almost didn't deny Christ's sacrifice". If you wait until you clean up your life or drop some bad habits first you'll never make it to heaven. Get saved first and Christ will clean up your life for you if you are willing. Over 50,000 eyewitnesses to the Miracles of Jesus were available by the time he allowed himself to be placed on the Cross. His greatest enemies, the Pharisees and the Sadducees, did not deny his miracles but instead tried to attribute them to the devil. Non Religious historians verify Christ's existence and miracles. Only in the last 300 years has a pervasive and growing secularist science made up of atheists started trying to belittle the facts doggedly and they rely on a gap of 1800-2000 years to blur the lines and make sure their guesses or lies seem credible. Trust your heart not the guesses of other fallible humans. Smart as they are their minds, like yours and mine, cannot grasp infinity of time nor space nor GOD. QUESTION: "Gee Who put all that material out there to blow up in the "Big Bang"? ANSWER: "Uhmn...It was just there" ...."Big Bang" of material that was "just there" makes rocks, rocks make amoebas, amoebas make man! Now that takes a real leap of faith to believe. Talk about a weird religion.
*Number Nine has fallen into the trap sprung by the religious tolerance in America. He believes that tolerance of other religions (which by the way is usually only allowed in predominantly Christian nations) means that they are just as viable as Christianity. They are all fine and dandy except for the fact that chanting on prayer rugs, humming mantras to crystals, wanting to come back as a sacred cow, and communing with trees have absolutely nothing to do with getting in to heaven and in fact distract you from the only true path. GOD is not the author of confusion and he would not make it something that only the well educated, super intelligent, highly focused or ultra dedicated could accomplish. Even a child is capable of understanding what the One true GOD has dictated to us. No special equipment is required. Salvation does not have to take place in a church or on your 13th birthday. You do not have to be circumcised or dunked or have a special bible. Anybody can be saved anywhere at anytime just by following the three steps above...Just by having the right heart condition. The best Part is that if you do it right the first time-It is permanent. No more candles to light, No messy cleanup, no salesmen will call and Surely goodness and mercy shall follow you all of the days of your life. GOD Bless.
Where Do You stand Number Ten?
No matter where you stand, Remember:YOU are LOVED Number Ten!
Robert Todd Johnson
A.K.A. "Number five"
I am a multi-billionaire and You are my headstrong child. You and your 9 brothers/sisters have gone out and stolen the crown jewels from the queen mother, sold them and frittered away the money in various sinful ways. Subsequently you were all caught and the government of the United Kingdom worked a deal where they would not execute you if the sum of a Billion dollars in reparations were paid for each of you. You have been released on your own recognizance but have been made well aware of the fact that a judgement day is coming at some point in the future?My sacrifice was given At the New York Stock Exchange when I publicly set up 10 irrevocable trust accounts with a Billion dollars in each then laid out some simple rules for claiming the money:
You must acknowledge the FACT that I am your father and love me accordingly.
You must realize the FACT that what you?ve done was wrong and STRIVE to change for the better.
You must acknowledge and receive my sacrifice and be thankful for it.
The Money was a free gift already paid and not refundable yet statistically so far 90% of the money goes unclaimed for some very strange and convoluted reasons.
*Your first sibling denied the fact that I even existed despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Maybe the delusion was comforting up until the time they strapped him into the chair and pulled the switch.
*Your second sibling acknowledged I existed but thought she had come about by an accident with the Primordial Pool guy or an alien Mailman. This in and of itself did not disqualify her as long as she recognized my hand in raising her but it caused her to have terrible problems grasping rules 2 and 3. Seemed a shame to see her scream her way into the gas chamber because of misguided guesses and suspicions about her heritage.
*Your third sibling knew I was her father but Hated me for some wrong her siblings did and falsely claimed I put them up to. I loved her so and it was difficult to hear the gruesome details of her hanging.
*Your fourth sibling knew that I was his father and loved me greatly, but had rationalized his actions and could not see where he had done anything wrong. Those stuffy Brits never used those jewels anyhow and it is unfair how everyone was getting between him and the pleasure he deserved. The firing squad shot him as he extolled the unfairness of it all.
*Your fifth sibling accepted the offer willingly, paid the Billion dollars and, when judgement day arrived, he received a full pardon for his transgressions and came to live happily with me at my mansion. You probably find him extremely annoying because he tries to sell you on doing the same thing and sometimes makes you feel self-conscious because of his naiveté in Striving to change for the better clashes with your own lifestyle which is more mainstream.
*Your sixth sibling Found your fifth sibling utterly annoying because he knew five was not perfect and continued to make mistakes and seemed to be just plain "holier-than-thou". "Sure I drink my Liquor, lie, cheat and steal, but at least I don't condemn other people like that nasty hypocrite--I would rather die than live like that fake" .....He did.
*Your Seventh sibling was prideful, had a good job and decided he wouldn't accept this charity. He determined that he would work the off the debt himself. The $137,423 dollars he came up with was a bit short of the Billion required but he figured he might be able to cut some sort of deal. He rehashed his thinking as they were giving him the lethal injection, but it was too late.
*Sibling Eight acknowledged me as the father and loved me accordingly. Eight was a generally upstanding and moral citizen give or take the crown jewels thing and a little greed, pride and envy. He realized that what he did was wrong and had no problem with the "Strive to do better" concept. His only problem was that he doubted whether or not there was a billion dollars there. He doubted that the sacrifice had occurred, after all there were only a few thousand eyewitnesses there at the stock exchange at the time and since he was not there himself he could only rely on the secondhand and written accounts of the occurrence. There were even a lot of highly educated and intelligent people writing about how it was all a fake. Why would his father do this for him? Why should He waste his time attempting to claim this gift which to his mind probably did not exist. Once he actually pulled up outside the NY stock exchange but changed his mind at the last second. Would it not be totally embarrassing to walk down the aisle at the stock exchange with all those people watching? Number Five told him "Trust me it's there. I accepted it and it paid for my crimes and now I'm living happily without the burden of judgement hanging over me". The answer "Poor number Five, you are probably delusional. Haven't you read your science books? Psychologically speaking people just don't make sacrifices like that and I don't think there will be a final judgement anyhow. ". He mused that even if there were a judgement obeying the first two rules would probably keep the stiff necked Queen off his back. "I love my very rich father and I am being good now, sort of...well, at least better than number three and six!" he was heard to say. "Sorry, that may be so, but the debt is still unpaid for you refused to accept the gift" was heard as the axe fell on his neck.
*Your Ninth sibling was politically connected and relied on some rich relatives to raise the money so he would not have to depend on me. Uncle Mohammed and Aunt Krishna Promised him the full amount and, although they had a lot more rules for claiming the money (which he followed religiously) on execution day they were determined to be bankrupt and were accordingly burned at the stake with sibling Nine.
**Where do you stand number ten.
I am indeed your father. I want to cleanse you of your wrongdoing and clothe you in righteousness.
I Love you and do not want to see you die.
I want you to acknowledge and accept this gift.
I want to give you life and love.
It breaks my heart what has happened to my other children and I want more for you.
The gift is free, No strings other than love attached.
Is loving so hard?
Will you reject me too on equally senseless grounds?
Please come to my mansion and into my compassionate arms!
YOU are LOVED number Ten
The Father
This is a modern day parable for the Plan of Salvation.
The Father is indeed GOD.
The Sacrifice-Infinetely more precious and harder to match than a Billion dollars is The Lord Jesus Christ who died painfully on a cross for Your sins.
The three simple rules remain the same.
The Mansion is Heaven.
The various methods of death represent an eternity in Hell.
The Love is real.
*Number one is an atheist who believes that the complexity of the universe was derived from the chaos of nothingness and people evolved from rocks in direct contravention to the second law of thermodynamics, mathematical probability and common sense in knowing that complex things do not come from simple things without outside intelligent influence.
*Number two believes that there is some higher being out there, but has become confused by societal beliefs in evolution, un-testable theories of origins and modern interpretations of miraculous phenomena. There are many in this world who make their best guess about what happened thousands, millions, or even billions of years ago and then present it as absolute fact. Combine this with the opposition of the Catholic (read organized/political/traditional religion) Church in the past to some known scientific facts (I.E. round world etc...) and you have created a skeptical hearer if they group all Christians or religions into one lump.
*Number three blames GOD for all the problems the sin nature of man creates (I.E. the Inquisition/IRA bombings etc...) and/or personal problems which all men face (financial difficulties, death of loved ones etc...). A perfect Just and Loving God has to allow men the free will to choose Between good and evil, otherwise we would be mere tools or robots incapable of Love, Programmed in all our actions. Unfortunately many men choose to do evil and disobey GOD. This choice of man to do evil is the cause of almost all human suffering. Death and sickness are a natural side effect of the original sin and everybody's health will eventually fail them. Most of our problems can be traced back to some failing on our part or to the failing of another human.
*Number four cannot see that he did anything wrong. He looks around at all the other sinful humans and finds somebody he can compare himself to favorably then pronounces himself as "A good person" who deserves more out of life. Rationalization can cover many different topics: "I may have killed two people in a barroom fight but at least I'm not a serial killer like that guy!", "I cheat a little on my income taxes but I am not an outright thief like him.", " I may tell little white lies but that guy is a pathological liar". All people are capable of finding something they are not as "bad" at when compared to another flawed human. The problem is GOD does not measure us against other humans, but by a GODLY standard. That is why he provided the gift of grace. Acceptance of the sacrifice of the sinless Jesus is the only thing that can bring you up to the standard.
*Number five is the basic believer. Not perfect but forgiven. Not Righteous but cleansed by the righteousness of GOD. Having been delivered from certain death there is a natural desire on their part to share the good news. Often we do not do it well and sometimes we offend. We cannot understand why any would reject this free gift. We have nothing personal to gain by your acceptance of it, we do not get part of your salvation or "billion" as the case may be. It should not be said that you have to give up drinking, smoking, extramarital sex, drugs and gambling to obtain the kingdom of heaven, You do not, although once delivered from a lost condition there are varying degrees of desire to do so. These are just outwardly visible sins that get the most attention from other people. Even believers continue to have inappropriate thoughts and actions, it is just that usually the outward sins are tended to first because of human nature and wanting to "appear" less sinful. The Drug addict male prostitute who has accepted the salvation of Jesus Christ will make it into heaven while the Bishop, Preacher or Pope who has not will find himself in Hell. You just follow the three simple steps provided:Love GODRepent of Your Sins. Strive for sinlessness. (notice I did not say you would be sinless)Appreciate and Believe in the Life, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ as payment for the sins YOU have committed and will commit. Receive him into your heart.
*Number six has many of the same problems as number four. He has also mistakenly condemned and judged all Saved people as being hypocrites and fakes who are "judging him" while ignoring the hypocrisy required for him to make such a judgement. He operates under the delusional concept that all people who go to church are supposed to be, and claim to be, perfect and when they are not perfect he has proven all of Christianity to be fake. In reality the people that are born again believers are drawn from the community at large and as such are representative of that community with the same frailties and tendencies. In some way or another all people are hypocrites. The only difference is; The Saved ones recognized the fact that they were imperfect sinners and have been forgiven and tried to change. It has been said and I agree " I would rather be in Heaven with the Saved hypocrites than in hell with the rest of them". Double standard: A secular president has an affair and the atheist says "So, that's his personal life" but when an Evangelist has an affair they Scream "Lying Hypocrites, They don't practice what they preach" Despite the fact that they were both flawed human beings fighting the same temptations and sexual opportunities that fame causes. The truth is that Pride, greed, Drunkenness and Promiscuity and many other things are wrong and sinful and a Christian should identify them as such, but while we are to hate those sins in ourselves and others we are to love the sinner, since we all fall into that category. The hypocrisy defense is a form of deluded self preservation since it allows the sinner to go on sinning without feeling convicted about it because "The Perfect People" are sinning too. The problem is that just because other people are sinning (all do) it does not excuse the sin you do yourself...Only Jesus can excuse/cleanse that.
*Number seven - Pride has blinded him to the possibility of getting anything so easily. He is trying to work out his own way to heaven. He failed to realize the impossibility of the task. No matter how good he is he can never attain the goal on his own. GOD is a perfect and just GOD who has set down the rules and made them simple so that any person may attain them. GODS perfect justice demands that the price be paid in full and HE has already provided you with a means to pay it asking only love and trust in return. If he allowed any thing less than full payment he would no longer be a perfectly just God and would become a "depends upon the situation" situational ethics sub-god. There are many church going, godly seeming people who have not grasped the basic fact that you have to believe with your heart in all of these three easy steps or all the church functions and charitable giving in the world will not keep them out of Hell. GOD does not grade on a curve. Some have the mistaken impression that there is a large cosmic karma scale where you heap the good deeds on one side and the bad on the other and if the good outweighs the bad you go to Heaven. The problem is in this scenario is that a perfect GOD cannot allow any sin into his perfect Heaven and thus one bad deed would far outweigh a billion good ones. The only way to win in this situation is to have the blood of the sacrificed Christ scrub clean the bad side of the scale, once freed from the counterbalance of evil the good side will float with you on up to Heaven when judgement day comes. The only alternative is that you should consider those tiny un-scrubbed sins as the satanic Mafia's concrete shoes dragging you and your good deeds into the depths.
*Number Eight is pretty much your average citizen who has done a few bad things here and there. He Claims to be a Christian because it's a family tradition and he believes in God, Prays when in trouble and on the appropriate holidays and goes to church when the fancy strikes him. Eight sees the Bible as a good book, maybe a little flawed or mistranslated since it was written by men and figures Jesus must have been a pretty swell guy. On occasion he has felt convicted and almost committed his life to Christ but held back because he might get embarrassed or have to give something up or did not feel worthy or became confused by satans' many pseudoscientific and seemingly logical lies. Be very aware! This one short life you have is neither horseshoes nor hand grenades. Hell is not one degree cooler for the one who squeaks "I Almost didn't deny Christ's sacrifice". If you wait until you clean up your life or drop some bad habits first you'll never make it to heaven. Get saved first and Christ will clean up your life for you if you are willing. Over 50,000 eyewitnesses to the Miracles of Jesus were available by the time he allowed himself to be placed on the Cross. His greatest enemies, the Pharisees and the Sadducees, did not deny his miracles but instead tried to attribute them to the devil. Non Religious historians verify Christ's existence and miracles. Only in the last 300 years has a pervasive and growing secularist science made up of atheists started trying to belittle the facts doggedly and they rely on a gap of 1800-2000 years to blur the lines and make sure their guesses or lies seem credible. Trust your heart not the guesses of other fallible humans. Smart as they are their minds, like yours and mine, cannot grasp infinity of time nor space nor GOD. QUESTION: "Gee Who put all that material out there to blow up in the "Big Bang"? ANSWER: "Uhmn...It was just there" ...."Big Bang" of material that was "just there" makes rocks, rocks make amoebas, amoebas make man! Now that takes a real leap of faith to believe. Talk about a weird religion.
*Number Nine has fallen into the trap sprung by the religious tolerance in America. He believes that tolerance of other religions (which by the way is usually only allowed in predominantly Christian nations) means that they are just as viable as Christianity. They are all fine and dandy except for the fact that chanting on prayer rugs, humming mantras to crystals, wanting to come back as a sacred cow, and communing with trees have absolutely nothing to do with getting in to heaven and in fact distract you from the only true path. GOD is not the author of confusion and he would not make it something that only the well educated, super intelligent, highly focused or ultra dedicated could accomplish. Even a child is capable of understanding what the One true GOD has dictated to us. No special equipment is required. Salvation does not have to take place in a church or on your 13th birthday. You do not have to be circumcised or dunked or have a special bible. Anybody can be saved anywhere at anytime just by following the three steps above...Just by having the right heart condition. The best Part is that if you do it right the first time-It is permanent. No more candles to light, No messy cleanup, no salesmen will call and Surely goodness and mercy shall follow you all of the days of your life. GOD Bless.
Where Do You stand Number Ten?
No matter where you stand, Remember:YOU are LOVED Number Ten!
Robert Todd Johnson
A.K.A. "Number five"
Friday, December 03, 2004
A dark and probing satire of where the left may be taking our Nation
Scrappleface
Dutch expand List of 'Mercy Killing' Candidates
04-12-03) -- Physicians at Groningen Academic Hospital in the Netherlands today expanded the category of people with "no free will" who qualify for a procedure called "life ending without request," a form of euthanasia which doesn't require the patient's consent.
People who meet the qualifications of the so-called 'Groningen Protocol' are entitled to a lethal dose of muscle relaxant without the hassle of having to request the injection.
"At first our no-free-will category included only infants and the mentally incompetent," said Dr. Eduard Verhagen, clinical director of the hospital's pediatric clinic. "But then we realized there are others who lack free will on a situational basis--like prison inmates, children under the age of consent, especially orphans, people completely dependent upon government programs for their survival and certain fundamentalist religious types who believe that God has ordained everything that comes to pass."
The new, "less discriminatory" Groningen Protocol was immediately hailed as "a quantum leap in the field of health care and a civil rights landmark" by the Royal Dutch Medical Association (KNMG).
"Finally, the Dutch will be known for something more than tulips, windmills and wooden shoes," said an unnamed KNMG spokesman. "The Groningen Protocol will simplify all of our lives, end the overpopulation crisis and purify the human gene pool. When you think about it, it's really the ultimate solution."
Dutch expand List of 'Mercy Killing' Candidates
04-12-03) -- Physicians at Groningen Academic Hospital in the Netherlands today expanded the category of people with "no free will" who qualify for a procedure called "life ending without request," a form of euthanasia which doesn't require the patient's consent.
People who meet the qualifications of the so-called 'Groningen Protocol' are entitled to a lethal dose of muscle relaxant without the hassle of having to request the injection.
"At first our no-free-will category included only infants and the mentally incompetent," said Dr. Eduard Verhagen, clinical director of the hospital's pediatric clinic. "But then we realized there are others who lack free will on a situational basis--like prison inmates, children under the age of consent, especially orphans, people completely dependent upon government programs for their survival and certain fundamentalist religious types who believe that God has ordained everything that comes to pass."
The new, "less discriminatory" Groningen Protocol was immediately hailed as "a quantum leap in the field of health care and a civil rights landmark" by the Royal Dutch Medical Association (KNMG).
"Finally, the Dutch will be known for something more than tulips, windmills and wooden shoes," said an unnamed KNMG spokesman. "The Groningen Protocol will simplify all of our lives, end the overpopulation crisis and purify the human gene pool. When you think about it, it's really the ultimate solution."
I find this to be disturbing to say the least. The actual murder of several POST-born infants has already taken place in a "death by elitist consensus" drama in which the learned situational ethics spouting experts determined the viability of a human being and terminated his/her existence based upon their view of the persons worth/contribution/drain on society and the amount of pain they projected/guessed that life would have to endure. This is in contradiction to their own law which states that:
Under the rules established by KNMG and the Dutch courts, the patient's decision must be freely made, well-considered and persistent; there must be unbearable suffering;
Nobody has been prosecuted for these unlawful murders which points to the fact that;
1). The morality and potential non-prosecution of murder charges is proportional to what the elite believe is true.
2). The "free will" of the victim of murder is subjected to the interpretation of more capable, educated and non superstitious people.
3). mentally incompetent people (as defined by whomever) ,such as Spina Bifida babies (or maybe in the future the elderly), are disposable
4). The Dutch courts are powerless or unwilling to enforce the vague and/or variably interpretable portions of their own liberal law. This is a law they are now trying to expand to make these decisions legal so they will not have to.
5). Many years of state sponsorsed abortion and promiscuity have desensitized the liberals among the Dutch to see human life as a financial or pragmatic issue rather than a moralistic or a merciful concept.
I personally find it morally reprehensible that the social egoists of our times are capable of breaking the law, getting away with it, and not being decried as murderers by at least a good percentage of the world. Even if it is made legal it is not right. The angle that situational ethics and smart people working in concert can act as judge, jury, and executioner of other human beings is not a right angle, it is an acute angle of convenience and hedonism.
Deus es Semper Fideles
Monday, November 29, 2004
A Link to a wonderful site
http://marinecorpsmoms.com/archives/week_2004_11_21.html#000404
Another 2nd LAR update from the front. It's an awesome retelling of bravery and brotherhood.
24 November 2004
I have started this letter 100 times in my mind. Inadequacy on my own part is the best answer I can come up with to express my emotions about our experiences here. They say war is the highest of highs and lowest of lows and it happens in a moments notice. I can say without question it is true.
We departed Camp Baharia about a month ago now to do our part in the fight for Fallujah. People said this would be our Hue City, our Guadalcanal, or compared it to numerous other epic battles that the Marine Corps has endured. Was it? I don't know. Who am I to make that statement? I think all of us want to believe that our time is historic and that our life has meaning. Ronald Reagan once said that many of us want to know if we made a difference in this world but the US Marines don't have that problem. I can not say how this battle will be defined in the history books but I can tell you besides the birth of my children and my marriage, it will probably be the most meaningful event of my life. How do you adequately define heroism, espirit de corps, patriotism? Words almost belittle their true definition.
As many of you saw on the news, Apache Company was definitely involved in the fight. We took our share of licks, delivered a disproportional amount more on the enemy, but more importantly we are all still here to talk about it and in the true Marine way of dealing with it - we laugh about it. A Purple Heart is not a medal anyone really wants to earn but it sure is a special person who wears that badge of honor.
All the Marines and Sailors of this company are heroes. They always have been even before we arrived. But now without question, for one shining moment in all of our lives, my Marines were heroes in the truest sense of the word.
They fought like brothers fighting to protect and defend their families. While I believe wholeheartedly in the mission, I do not preach about fighting for the greater glory of God, country or Corps because in the end, we fight for one another. And that is what they did. I have been blessed with the greatest collection of men ever assembled and I knew it from day one. I knew this company had a destiny and we would write our own chapter. It is indescribable to visit a Marine at the field hospital who was just wounded and he doesn't even talk about himself. To the man the first three questions were always about the status of the other Marines, did we beat the enemy and can I stay in the country with the company. I stand by their side and wonder why I do I deserve to be surrounded by such men. To the parents, guardians, grandparents who raised these kids, my hat is off to you. If you ever wondered if you made a difference in this world, I can tell you if your son is over here, the world is a better place because of you.
I have talked to some Iraqis throughout my time here and it is sad because many do not believe that life will get better. Some even say it was better under Saddam. Now that may be a tough pill to swallow for many Americans because of the sacrifices so many families have endured but I would argue just the opposite. I think that statement should make you even prouder to be an American. We are over here fighting for the success of this mission. My Marines are selflessly fighting for people they will never know. They are fighting for some who don't even appreciate the sacrifices they endure. I can not think of a more honorable act. We believe in the mission, even while some here don't because we live the miracle that is the United States of America. It is an awesome sight to see.
The support from our families and sponsors has been overwhelming. Overwhelming in two ways - one, physically and two, emotionally. We got back to Camp Baharia today and it looked like the Post Office went on strike. We had stacks of boxes and bags of letters. More than one person has told me (to which I completely empathize) that we feel guilty that we cannot respond in a timely manner, if at all. It is hard for us to know that some great American spent their time and their money to send us a package or a letter, or a newspaper and we can not get enough down time to write a thank you. It feels almost shameful. So I offer on behalf of the company, once, an offer of appreciation. Please do not feel that since we are unable to respond that we do not appreciate what you are doing for us. To go down a long laundry list of people, we would inevitably fail to mention one person or company and that would be worse than not mentioning anyone specifically at all. It is humbling to see the outpouring of support from our families and sponsors. We are indebted to you.
We are off again tomorrow on a new mission. Well, same mission, new place. As it has been for the past few weeks, we will not have internet or phone access. In fact we will not have electricity or running water. We thought Baharia was austere. You should have seen the camp we lived in for two weeks or see this next place we are going to tomorrow. Camp Baharia is a thriving metropolis with all the comforts of home compared to the new place. It looks like we will be occupying this place for some time. But in a few short days, the new digs will be home and we will be fine. I will try to cycle Marines back to Camp Baharia but please understand that those basic services that are available back home are almost privileged services here. I say this not out of some request for pity but again out of a sense of responsibility to all of you who support us. I see two Marines in a fighting position at night in the cold, frying up one slice of spam at a time in a canteen cup, with an MRE sleeve to block the wind, alternating piece for piece and offering a hot slice to any Marine in the area, and my only thought is - this is what makes our country great. Here are these two Marines, 8000 miles from home, sitting in a filthy hole, taking care of each other with a can of food that some great citizen back home sent them. It doesn't get any better than that.
I will leave it to the platoon commanders to write updates about the individual Marines. But I will offer this one story before I sign off about a Marine named Brooks. Ol' Brooksy was one of the first wounded in action we had in the company. It happened on the night of 30 September. He has been making tremendous gains and we hope to have him back on full duty within a week or so. Since the night of his attack, he has been doing his part manning the command operations center in Baharia, but more importantly healing from his wounds. His story is one to be told because he exemplifies what makes this company great. He never once complained about his lot in life and he never once complained about the job he now fulfills. He is doing his part and that is honorable. He is generally a quiet Marine but always very pleasant and enjoyable to talk with. As other guys were wounded, he would in his own way, let them know that he was there for them if they wanted to talk about it. For those of us who have not been wounded, we really do not know what it is like. But instead of feeling sorry for himself, he does his job and looks out for his brothers. It was not until 3 November that his Purple Heart award had come in and we invited the regimental commander to award him, and the other Marines their badge of honor. I will never forget watching Brooksy get his award. I think I was prouder that day to be a Marine and to serve along side another Marine than ever before. Brooksy was still walking tenderly. But when it came time for the ceremony, he marched completely erect, made all his facing movements as we were trained in boot camp and basically on shear physical courage alone, muscled his way through the whole ceremony to march and execute the drill movements precisely. I could see it on his face that he was in pain but he didn't yield to it. In that one moment in time, it hit home to me how special being a Marine really is. There was young PFC Brooks ensuring he lived up to the standards that others have set before him, standards that have been beat into us from day one, to ensure he did not let the Corps down and to represent himself well. As if the weight of the whole Corps' reputation was on his shoulders that day, he ensured he did not fail. Would anyone have blamed him if he didn't execute his about face properly? Not at all. But Brooksy wouldn't give them that chance. These are the men I serve with. Be proud. These are the men who serve in your defense.
Until next time, Semper Fidelis and pray for peace.
Apache 6 - out.
Semper Fidelis,
Capt John F. GriffinApache Company2d LAR Bn RCT-1Fallujah, Iraq
Another 2nd LAR update from the front. It's an awesome retelling of bravery and brotherhood.
24 November 2004
I have started this letter 100 times in my mind. Inadequacy on my own part is the best answer I can come up with to express my emotions about our experiences here. They say war is the highest of highs and lowest of lows and it happens in a moments notice. I can say without question it is true.
We departed Camp Baharia about a month ago now to do our part in the fight for Fallujah. People said this would be our Hue City, our Guadalcanal, or compared it to numerous other epic battles that the Marine Corps has endured. Was it? I don't know. Who am I to make that statement? I think all of us want to believe that our time is historic and that our life has meaning. Ronald Reagan once said that many of us want to know if we made a difference in this world but the US Marines don't have that problem. I can not say how this battle will be defined in the history books but I can tell you besides the birth of my children and my marriage, it will probably be the most meaningful event of my life. How do you adequately define heroism, espirit de corps, patriotism? Words almost belittle their true definition.
As many of you saw on the news, Apache Company was definitely involved in the fight. We took our share of licks, delivered a disproportional amount more on the enemy, but more importantly we are all still here to talk about it and in the true Marine way of dealing with it - we laugh about it. A Purple Heart is not a medal anyone really wants to earn but it sure is a special person who wears that badge of honor.
All the Marines and Sailors of this company are heroes. They always have been even before we arrived. But now without question, for one shining moment in all of our lives, my Marines were heroes in the truest sense of the word.
They fought like brothers fighting to protect and defend their families. While I believe wholeheartedly in the mission, I do not preach about fighting for the greater glory of God, country or Corps because in the end, we fight for one another. And that is what they did. I have been blessed with the greatest collection of men ever assembled and I knew it from day one. I knew this company had a destiny and we would write our own chapter. It is indescribable to visit a Marine at the field hospital who was just wounded and he doesn't even talk about himself. To the man the first three questions were always about the status of the other Marines, did we beat the enemy and can I stay in the country with the company. I stand by their side and wonder why I do I deserve to be surrounded by such men. To the parents, guardians, grandparents who raised these kids, my hat is off to you. If you ever wondered if you made a difference in this world, I can tell you if your son is over here, the world is a better place because of you.
I have talked to some Iraqis throughout my time here and it is sad because many do not believe that life will get better. Some even say it was better under Saddam. Now that may be a tough pill to swallow for many Americans because of the sacrifices so many families have endured but I would argue just the opposite. I think that statement should make you even prouder to be an American. We are over here fighting for the success of this mission. My Marines are selflessly fighting for people they will never know. They are fighting for some who don't even appreciate the sacrifices they endure. I can not think of a more honorable act. We believe in the mission, even while some here don't because we live the miracle that is the United States of America. It is an awesome sight to see.
The support from our families and sponsors has been overwhelming. Overwhelming in two ways - one, physically and two, emotionally. We got back to Camp Baharia today and it looked like the Post Office went on strike. We had stacks of boxes and bags of letters. More than one person has told me (to which I completely empathize) that we feel guilty that we cannot respond in a timely manner, if at all. It is hard for us to know that some great American spent their time and their money to send us a package or a letter, or a newspaper and we can not get enough down time to write a thank you. It feels almost shameful. So I offer on behalf of the company, once, an offer of appreciation. Please do not feel that since we are unable to respond that we do not appreciate what you are doing for us. To go down a long laundry list of people, we would inevitably fail to mention one person or company and that would be worse than not mentioning anyone specifically at all. It is humbling to see the outpouring of support from our families and sponsors. We are indebted to you.
We are off again tomorrow on a new mission. Well, same mission, new place. As it has been for the past few weeks, we will not have internet or phone access. In fact we will not have electricity or running water. We thought Baharia was austere. You should have seen the camp we lived in for two weeks or see this next place we are going to tomorrow. Camp Baharia is a thriving metropolis with all the comforts of home compared to the new place. It looks like we will be occupying this place for some time. But in a few short days, the new digs will be home and we will be fine. I will try to cycle Marines back to Camp Baharia but please understand that those basic services that are available back home are almost privileged services here. I say this not out of some request for pity but again out of a sense of responsibility to all of you who support us. I see two Marines in a fighting position at night in the cold, frying up one slice of spam at a time in a canteen cup, with an MRE sleeve to block the wind, alternating piece for piece and offering a hot slice to any Marine in the area, and my only thought is - this is what makes our country great. Here are these two Marines, 8000 miles from home, sitting in a filthy hole, taking care of each other with a can of food that some great citizen back home sent them. It doesn't get any better than that.
I will leave it to the platoon commanders to write updates about the individual Marines. But I will offer this one story before I sign off about a Marine named Brooks. Ol' Brooksy was one of the first wounded in action we had in the company. It happened on the night of 30 September. He has been making tremendous gains and we hope to have him back on full duty within a week or so. Since the night of his attack, he has been doing his part manning the command operations center in Baharia, but more importantly healing from his wounds. His story is one to be told because he exemplifies what makes this company great. He never once complained about his lot in life and he never once complained about the job he now fulfills. He is doing his part and that is honorable. He is generally a quiet Marine but always very pleasant and enjoyable to talk with. As other guys were wounded, he would in his own way, let them know that he was there for them if they wanted to talk about it. For those of us who have not been wounded, we really do not know what it is like. But instead of feeling sorry for himself, he does his job and looks out for his brothers. It was not until 3 November that his Purple Heart award had come in and we invited the regimental commander to award him, and the other Marines their badge of honor. I will never forget watching Brooksy get his award. I think I was prouder that day to be a Marine and to serve along side another Marine than ever before. Brooksy was still walking tenderly. But when it came time for the ceremony, he marched completely erect, made all his facing movements as we were trained in boot camp and basically on shear physical courage alone, muscled his way through the whole ceremony to march and execute the drill movements precisely. I could see it on his face that he was in pain but he didn't yield to it. In that one moment in time, it hit home to me how special being a Marine really is. There was young PFC Brooks ensuring he lived up to the standards that others have set before him, standards that have been beat into us from day one, to ensure he did not let the Corps down and to represent himself well. As if the weight of the whole Corps' reputation was on his shoulders that day, he ensured he did not fail. Would anyone have blamed him if he didn't execute his about face properly? Not at all. But Brooksy wouldn't give them that chance. These are the men I serve with. Be proud. These are the men who serve in your defense.
Until next time, Semper Fidelis and pray for peace.
Apache 6 - out.
Semper Fidelis,
Capt John F. GriffinApache Company2d LAR Bn RCT-1Fallujah, Iraq
Friday, November 19, 2004
Patience
Okay,
I am working on my next post but my 6 year old is sick (rash, Fifths disease?) and my 14 year old is suffering from headaches which are causing heart arythmyia, dizziness and nauseu. I love you folks but I love my family much more, sorry.
Deus es Semper Fideles
I am working on my next post but my 6 year old is sick (rash, Fifths disease?) and my 14 year old is suffering from headaches which are causing heart arythmyia, dizziness and nauseu. I love you folks but I love my family much more, sorry.
Deus es Semper Fideles
Tuesday, November 16, 2004
Blogger Breaking News:
When viewing the video of the Marine shooting an "apparently" unarmed militant if you look real close There is a bulge in the back of the terrorists' jacket. you can tell there is a pistol or something taped there. The dead terrorist, speaking through a medium at a liberal séance, claims that the bulge in his back was not a pistol but was merely a "badly tailored burkha". The democraticunderground says it is obviously a yank handle of the type found on bulletproof vests similar to the ones they mailed to the anti-coalition freedom fighters in Iraq. Al Jizzera has denied claims that the bulge was a communications device through which the doomed terrorist could be fed answers in the leadslinging debate in order to counter the fact that his opponents were more accurate, intelligent and likable.
Jesu es Semper Fidelis
Jesu es Semper Fidelis
Sunday, November 14, 2004
Lord Please Bless this sacrifice laid on the altar of freedom
Bless and comfort the families and friends in this time of mourning.
The latest Department of Defense identifications of casualties in Iraq (1week):
? Marine 2nd Lt. James P. Blecksmith, 24, of San Marino, Calif., died Nov. 11 by enemy action in Al Anbar Province.
? Lance Cpl. Kyle W. Burns, 20, of Laramie, Wyo., died Nov. 11 by enemy action in Al Anbar.
? Marine Staff Sgt. Theodore S. Holder II, 27, of Littleton, Colo., died Nov. 11 by enemy action in Al Anbar.
? Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Julian Woods, 22, of Jacksonville, Fla., died Nov. 10 by hostile fire in Fallujah.
? Marine Cpl. Theodore A. Bowling, 25, of Casselberry, Fla., died Nov. 11 by enemy action in Al Anbar.
? Army Staff Sgt. Sean P. Huey, 28, of Fredericktown, Pa., died Nov. 11 in Habbaniyah when a car bomb detonated near his vehicle.
? Army Staff Sgt. Michael C. Ottolini, 45, of Sebastopol, Calif., died Nov. 10 in Balad when a bomb detonated near his vehicle.
? Marine Cpl. Joshua D. Palmer, 24, of Blandinsville, Ill., died Nov. 8 by a nonhostile vehicle incident in Al Anbar.
? Army Spc. Thomas K. Doerflinger, 20, of Silver Spring, Md., died Nov. 11 in Mosul by small-arms fire.
? Marine Cpl. Peter J. Giannopoulos, 22, of Inverness, Ill., died Nov. 11 by enemy action in Babil Province.
? Marine Cpl. Romulo J. Jimenez II, 21, of Miami, died Nov. 10 by enemy action in Al Anbar.
? Army Pfc. Dennis J. Miller Jr., 21, of La Salle, Mich., died Nov. 10 in Ar Ramadi in an enemy attack when a rocket-propelled grenade struck his tank.
? Marine Lance Cpl. Abraham Simpson, 19, Chino, Calif., died Nov. 9 by enemy action in Al Anbar.
? Marine Lance Cpl. Justin D. Reppuhn, 20, of Hemlock, Mich., was killed Nov. 11 by enemy action in Al Anbar.
? Marine Lance Cpl. Aaron C. Pickering, 20, of Marion, Ill., died Nov. 10 in Al Anbar.
? Marine Staff Sgt. Gene Ramirez, 28, of San Antonio, died Nov. 10 in Al Anbar.
? Marine Lance Cpl. Erick J. Hodges, 21, of Bay Point, Calif., died Nov. 10 in Al Anbar.
? Marine 1st Lt. Dan T. Malcom Jr., 25, of Brinson, Ga., died Nov. 10 in Al Anbar.
? Marine Sgt. David M. Caruso, 25, of Naperville, Ill., was killed Nov. 9 by enemy action in Al Anbar.
? Army Spc. Travis A. Babbitt, 24, of Uvalde, Texas, died Nov. 9 when his Baghdad patrol was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade and small-arms fire.
? Army Sgt. John B. Trotter, 25, of Marble Falls, Texas, died Nov. 9 in Ramadi when his patrol was hit by small-arms fire.
? Army Staff Sgt. Todd R. Cornell , 38, of West Bend, Wis., died Nov. 9 in Fallujah while acting in an advisory support capacity when his Iraqi unit came under attack.
? Marine Staff Sgt. Russell L. Slay, 28, of Humble, Texas, died Nov. 9 in Al Anbar.
? Marine Cpl. William C. James, 24, of Huntington Beach, Calif., died Nov. 9 in Al Anbar.
? Marine Lance Cpl. Nicholas D. Larson, 19, of Wheaton, Ill., died Nov. 9 in Al Anbar.
? Marine Lance Cpl. Nathan R. Wood, 19, of Kirkland, Wash., died Nov. 9 in Al Anbar.
? Marine Lance Cpl. Juan E. Segura, 26, of Homestead, Fla., died Nov. 9 in Al Anbar.
? Marine Sgt. Lonny D. Wells, 29, of Vandergrift, Pa., died Nov. 9 in Al Anbar.
? Army Command Sgt. Maj. Steven W. Faulkenburg, 45, of Huntingburg, Ind., was killed Nov. 9 by small-arms fire in Fallujah while conducting combat operations.
? Air Force Master Sgt. Steven E. Auchman, 37, of Waterloo, N.Y., died Nov. 9 from wounds sustained when multiple rocket-propelled grenades struck his Mosul location.
? Marine Cpl. Robert P. Warns II, 23, of Waukesha, Wis., died Nov. 8 as a result of enemy action in Babil Province.
? Marine Lance Cpl. Thomas J. Zapp, 20, of Houston, was killed Nov. 8 by enemy action in Al Anbar.
? Marine Lance Cpl. Branden P. Ramey, 22, of Boone, Ill., died Nov. 8 as a result of enemy action in Babil.
? Marine Staff Sgt. David G. Ries, 29, of Clark, Wash., died Nov. 8 as a result of enemy action in Al Anbar.
? Army Staff Sgt. Clinton L. Wisdom, 39, of Atchison, Kan., died Nov. 8 in Baghdad when a car bomb hit his convoy.
? Army Spc. Don A. Clary, 21, of Troy, Kan., also was killed by the Nov. 8 car bomb in Baghdad.
? Marine Lance Cpl. Jeffrey Lam, 22, of Queens, N.Y., died Nov. 8 in a nonhostile vehicle incident in Al Anbar.
? Army Spc. Bryan L. Freeman, 31, of Lumberton, N.J., died Nov. 8 in Baghdad from small-arms wounds suffered while conducting a vehicle search.
? Marine Cpl. Nathaniel T. Hammond, 24, of Tulsa, Okla., was killed Nov. 8 by enemy action in Babil Province.
? Marine Lance Cpl. Shane K. O'Donnell, 24, of DeForest, Wis., also was killed Nov. 8 in Babil.
? Army Spc. Quoc Binh Tran, 26, of Mission Viejo, Calif., died Nov. 7 in Baghdad of wounds from a roadside bomb detonated near his military vehicle on convoy.
? Army Spc. Brian K. Baker, 27, of West Seneca, N.Y., was killed Nov. 7 by a car bomb near his security patrol in Baghdad.
? Marine Lance Cpl. Sean M. Langley, 20, of Lexington, Ky., died Nov. 7 as a result of enemy action in Al Anbar.
Let us pause to honor one of the youngest.
Nineteen-year-old Marine Lance Corporal Nicholas Larson was killed Tuesday during street battles against insurgents in Iraq. Larson was a graduate of Wheaton North High School, where he was remembered by students Thursday.
"He was focused, determined. He had his vision, you could tell he was going to follow that," said assistant principal Jason Stipp. "Knowing the dangers, he was aware of them but he was adamant, that's what he saw in himself," said school counselor Kim Szymkowiak.The school has been in crisis mode since students learned Wednesday that a 2003 graduate had been killed fighting in Fallujah. Students already have talked with school counselors about their sorrow. "He does have a sister," Szymkowiak said. "Her friends are very distraught. The whole school is having an extremely hard time with it."It's the first time Wheaton schools have had classes on Veterans Day. Larson's parents declined to be interviewed, but a family spokesman says they received an upbeat e-mail from their son last week. They say Larson was proud of the work he was doing in Iraq and expected to come home in a couple of months.
Nicholas may the Lord have mercy upon your brave soul and touch a healing hand to your family.
Those who dare great things such as joining the Marine Corps expect to be put in harms way and face the potential for meeting a violent end. He joined knowing the dangers at a time when the media was hyping the danger even more. Death comes to us all, but it is how we spend the life that the Lord gives us that matters. Nicholas' death was not in vain, it was not for oil, it was not premature in Gods plan. This mans life and death were a glorious testament of self sacrifice while participating in a just cause. This is something that many who are primarily concerned with their own safety will never experience. Freedom comes with a cost that so few of the freed are willing to pay. Those who pay that cost are to be honored and respected. We will justify your sacrifice by defeating the cause of the terrorists who killed you.
Lance Corporal Larson I salute you.
Semper Fi and farewell Marine.
Deus es Semper Fideles
The latest Department of Defense identifications of casualties in Iraq (1week):
? Marine 2nd Lt. James P. Blecksmith, 24, of San Marino, Calif., died Nov. 11 by enemy action in Al Anbar Province.
? Lance Cpl. Kyle W. Burns, 20, of Laramie, Wyo., died Nov. 11 by enemy action in Al Anbar.
? Marine Staff Sgt. Theodore S. Holder II, 27, of Littleton, Colo., died Nov. 11 by enemy action in Al Anbar.
? Navy Petty Officer 3rd Class Julian Woods, 22, of Jacksonville, Fla., died Nov. 10 by hostile fire in Fallujah.
? Marine Cpl. Theodore A. Bowling, 25, of Casselberry, Fla., died Nov. 11 by enemy action in Al Anbar.
? Army Staff Sgt. Sean P. Huey, 28, of Fredericktown, Pa., died Nov. 11 in Habbaniyah when a car bomb detonated near his vehicle.
? Army Staff Sgt. Michael C. Ottolini, 45, of Sebastopol, Calif., died Nov. 10 in Balad when a bomb detonated near his vehicle.
? Marine Cpl. Joshua D. Palmer, 24, of Blandinsville, Ill., died Nov. 8 by a nonhostile vehicle incident in Al Anbar.
? Army Spc. Thomas K. Doerflinger, 20, of Silver Spring, Md., died Nov. 11 in Mosul by small-arms fire.
? Marine Cpl. Peter J. Giannopoulos, 22, of Inverness, Ill., died Nov. 11 by enemy action in Babil Province.
? Marine Cpl. Romulo J. Jimenez II, 21, of Miami, died Nov. 10 by enemy action in Al Anbar.
? Army Pfc. Dennis J. Miller Jr., 21, of La Salle, Mich., died Nov. 10 in Ar Ramadi in an enemy attack when a rocket-propelled grenade struck his tank.
? Marine Lance Cpl. Abraham Simpson, 19, Chino, Calif., died Nov. 9 by enemy action in Al Anbar.
? Marine Lance Cpl. Justin D. Reppuhn, 20, of Hemlock, Mich., was killed Nov. 11 by enemy action in Al Anbar.
? Marine Lance Cpl. Aaron C. Pickering, 20, of Marion, Ill., died Nov. 10 in Al Anbar.
? Marine Staff Sgt. Gene Ramirez, 28, of San Antonio, died Nov. 10 in Al Anbar.
? Marine Lance Cpl. Erick J. Hodges, 21, of Bay Point, Calif., died Nov. 10 in Al Anbar.
? Marine 1st Lt. Dan T. Malcom Jr., 25, of Brinson, Ga., died Nov. 10 in Al Anbar.
? Marine Sgt. David M. Caruso, 25, of Naperville, Ill., was killed Nov. 9 by enemy action in Al Anbar.
? Army Spc. Travis A. Babbitt, 24, of Uvalde, Texas, died Nov. 9 when his Baghdad patrol was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade and small-arms fire.
? Army Sgt. John B. Trotter, 25, of Marble Falls, Texas, died Nov. 9 in Ramadi when his patrol was hit by small-arms fire.
? Army Staff Sgt. Todd R. Cornell , 38, of West Bend, Wis., died Nov. 9 in Fallujah while acting in an advisory support capacity when his Iraqi unit came under attack.
? Marine Staff Sgt. Russell L. Slay, 28, of Humble, Texas, died Nov. 9 in Al Anbar.
? Marine Cpl. William C. James, 24, of Huntington Beach, Calif., died Nov. 9 in Al Anbar.
? Marine Lance Cpl. Nicholas D. Larson, 19, of Wheaton, Ill., died Nov. 9 in Al Anbar.
? Marine Lance Cpl. Nathan R. Wood, 19, of Kirkland, Wash., died Nov. 9 in Al Anbar.
? Marine Lance Cpl. Juan E. Segura, 26, of Homestead, Fla., died Nov. 9 in Al Anbar.
? Marine Sgt. Lonny D. Wells, 29, of Vandergrift, Pa., died Nov. 9 in Al Anbar.
? Army Command Sgt. Maj. Steven W. Faulkenburg, 45, of Huntingburg, Ind., was killed Nov. 9 by small-arms fire in Fallujah while conducting combat operations.
? Air Force Master Sgt. Steven E. Auchman, 37, of Waterloo, N.Y., died Nov. 9 from wounds sustained when multiple rocket-propelled grenades struck his Mosul location.
? Marine Cpl. Robert P. Warns II, 23, of Waukesha, Wis., died Nov. 8 as a result of enemy action in Babil Province.
? Marine Lance Cpl. Thomas J. Zapp, 20, of Houston, was killed Nov. 8 by enemy action in Al Anbar.
? Marine Lance Cpl. Branden P. Ramey, 22, of Boone, Ill., died Nov. 8 as a result of enemy action in Babil.
? Marine Staff Sgt. David G. Ries, 29, of Clark, Wash., died Nov. 8 as a result of enemy action in Al Anbar.
? Army Staff Sgt. Clinton L. Wisdom, 39, of Atchison, Kan., died Nov. 8 in Baghdad when a car bomb hit his convoy.
? Army Spc. Don A. Clary, 21, of Troy, Kan., also was killed by the Nov. 8 car bomb in Baghdad.
? Marine Lance Cpl. Jeffrey Lam, 22, of Queens, N.Y., died Nov. 8 in a nonhostile vehicle incident in Al Anbar.
? Army Spc. Bryan L. Freeman, 31, of Lumberton, N.J., died Nov. 8 in Baghdad from small-arms wounds suffered while conducting a vehicle search.
? Marine Cpl. Nathaniel T. Hammond, 24, of Tulsa, Okla., was killed Nov. 8 by enemy action in Babil Province.
? Marine Lance Cpl. Shane K. O'Donnell, 24, of DeForest, Wis., also was killed Nov. 8 in Babil.
? Army Spc. Quoc Binh Tran, 26, of Mission Viejo, Calif., died Nov. 7 in Baghdad of wounds from a roadside bomb detonated near his military vehicle on convoy.
? Army Spc. Brian K. Baker, 27, of West Seneca, N.Y., was killed Nov. 7 by a car bomb near his security patrol in Baghdad.
? Marine Lance Cpl. Sean M. Langley, 20, of Lexington, Ky., died Nov. 7 as a result of enemy action in Al Anbar.
Let us pause to honor one of the youngest.
Nineteen-year-old Marine Lance Corporal Nicholas Larson was killed Tuesday during street battles against insurgents in Iraq. Larson was a graduate of Wheaton North High School, where he was remembered by students Thursday.
"He was focused, determined. He had his vision, you could tell he was going to follow that," said assistant principal Jason Stipp. "Knowing the dangers, he was aware of them but he was adamant, that's what he saw in himself," said school counselor Kim Szymkowiak.The school has been in crisis mode since students learned Wednesday that a 2003 graduate had been killed fighting in Fallujah. Students already have talked with school counselors about their sorrow. "He does have a sister," Szymkowiak said. "Her friends are very distraught. The whole school is having an extremely hard time with it."It's the first time Wheaton schools have had classes on Veterans Day. Larson's parents declined to be interviewed, but a family spokesman says they received an upbeat e-mail from their son last week. They say Larson was proud of the work he was doing in Iraq and expected to come home in a couple of months.
Nicholas may the Lord have mercy upon your brave soul and touch a healing hand to your family.
Those who dare great things such as joining the Marine Corps expect to be put in harms way and face the potential for meeting a violent end. He joined knowing the dangers at a time when the media was hyping the danger even more. Death comes to us all, but it is how we spend the life that the Lord gives us that matters. Nicholas' death was not in vain, it was not for oil, it was not premature in Gods plan. This mans life and death were a glorious testament of self sacrifice while participating in a just cause. This is something that many who are primarily concerned with their own safety will never experience. Freedom comes with a cost that so few of the freed are willing to pay. Those who pay that cost are to be honored and respected. We will justify your sacrifice by defeating the cause of the terrorists who killed you.
Lance Corporal Larson I salute you.
Semper Fi and farewell Marine.
Deus es Semper Fideles
Saturday, November 13, 2004
Outstanding job Marines
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,138471,00.html
FOX News' Bret Baier and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Saturday, November 13, 2004.
FALLUJAH, Iraq' U.S. troops have "occupied" the entire city of Fallujah, leading Iraqi officials to declare on Saturday the mission "accomplished." ....
...Fallujah militants fought Marines to a standstill last April during a three-week siege, which the Bush administration called off amid public criticism over civilian casualties
A fairly straightforward story on the outside.
Appearances can be deceiving.
Observe the placing of quote marks and other misinformation.
Mr. Baier seen fit to include the quote marks that the biased AP "reporter" added when he was writing his story from a safe Baghdad compound.
For those of you who are unaware "quote marks" in modern english pretty much mean: "Yeah right!", or "So they say"
Reread it as: US troops claim, but I doubt it, that they hold the city proper.
or: Iraqi officials claim that what the forces set out to do they have accomplished to this point....Yeah Right...ROFLMBO.
How did this crud get past the Fox news editors? because they seen it pretty much came off the AP! I must insist that all editors (but especially Fox news) stop taking direct quotes from the AP & Reuters. Most of the time the people with the Baghdad tagline are no better informed than someone receiving the same Military or government statements back here in the states. They sit back in hotel compounds and wait for press releases or hired locals to bring them the news.
The real insult to our Marines is saying that the fallujah militants (read terrorists) FOUGHT Marines to a standstill. This is simply ridiculous. They were ordered to stand down while diplomats attempted a Najaf style peace (not hearing much from Al Sadr lately so that is no longer news). Here is a quote from a Marine that was there:
"If they let us, the Marines will cut right through that city. I believe that because of the spirit of the Marines who are seething because they have been ordered to stop and still are eager to "finish the job."" From: Bellon, Maj David G. Sent: Tuesday, April 13, 2004 5:10 PM http://www.thegreenside.com/story.asp?ContentID=8891
And a quote from the same Marine on Nov. 3rd, 2004:
"For eight months, we have been on our chain. The enemy has fooled itself misinterpreting our humanity and restraint for lack of will and courage.........
Now, their own ignorance and arrogance will be their undoing. They believe that they can hold Fallujah. In fact, they have come from all over to be part of its glorious defense. I cannot describe the atmosphere that exists in the Regiment right now. Of course the men are nervous but I think they are more nervous that we will not be allowed to clean the rats nest out and instead will be forced to continue operating as is. "
This is from a man who is there. I think I will trust him more than Bret Baier typing away while sipping his Starbucks coffee.
I am sending up a special prayer for the families, friends and comrades of those Marine and Iraqi forces who gave their lives in this cause of freedom.
Jesu es Semper Fidelis
FOX News' Bret Baier and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Saturday, November 13, 2004.
FALLUJAH, Iraq' U.S. troops have "occupied" the entire city of Fallujah, leading Iraqi officials to declare on Saturday the mission "accomplished." ....
...Fallujah militants fought Marines to a standstill last April during a three-week siege, which the Bush administration called off amid public criticism over civilian casualties
A fairly straightforward story on the outside.
Appearances can be deceiving.
Observe the placing of quote marks and other misinformation.
Mr. Baier seen fit to include the quote marks that the biased AP "reporter" added when he was writing his story from a safe Baghdad compound.
For those of you who are unaware "quote marks" in modern english pretty much mean: "Yeah right!", or "So they say"
Reread it as: US troops claim, but I doubt it, that they hold the city proper.
or: Iraqi officials claim that what the forces set out to do they have accomplished to this point....Yeah Right...ROFLMBO.
How did this crud get past the Fox news editors? because they seen it pretty much came off the AP! I must insist that all editors (but especially Fox news) stop taking direct quotes from the AP & Reuters. Most of the time the people with the Baghdad tagline are no better informed than someone receiving the same Military or government statements back here in the states. They sit back in hotel compounds and wait for press releases or hired locals to bring them the news.
The real insult to our Marines is saying that the fallujah militants (read terrorists) FOUGHT Marines to a standstill. This is simply ridiculous. They were ordered to stand down while diplomats attempted a Najaf style peace (not hearing much from Al Sadr lately so that is no longer news). Here is a quote from a Marine that was there:
"If they let us, the Marines will cut right through that city. I believe that because of the spirit of the Marines who are seething because they have been ordered to stop and still are eager to "finish the job."" From: Bellon, Maj David G. Sent: Tuesday, April 13, 2004 5:10 PM http://www.thegreenside.com/story.asp?ContentID=8891
And a quote from the same Marine on Nov. 3rd, 2004:
"For eight months, we have been on our chain. The enemy has fooled itself misinterpreting our humanity and restraint for lack of will and courage.........
Now, their own ignorance and arrogance will be their undoing. They believe that they can hold Fallujah. In fact, they have come from all over to be part of its glorious defense. I cannot describe the atmosphere that exists in the Regiment right now. Of course the men are nervous but I think they are more nervous that we will not be allowed to clean the rats nest out and instead will be forced to continue operating as is. "
This is from a man who is there. I think I will trust him more than Bret Baier typing away while sipping his Starbucks coffee.
I am sending up a special prayer for the families, friends and comrades of those Marine and Iraqi forces who gave their lives in this cause of freedom.
Jesu es Semper Fidelis
