Concerns About Her Judgment, Not Her Views

Bishop Wright, what is overlooked by outside observers - and Americans because they are unaware of it - is the role of the Episcopal Church in the culture wars, specificially its decision to lobby publicly for abortion-on-demand, rather than to confine its resolutions for pastoral guidance. This was made painfully clear when former Presiding Bishop Browning signed an Interfaith Letter - drafted by the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice - urging the members of Congress not to overturn President Clinton’s veto of the proposal to ban the partial-birth abortion procedure. This was reported in The Living Church magazine (“Callling for Civility,” 2/16/97) and availablel through their on-line archives.

In 2006 the Executive Councill formalized the Church’s membership in the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, and because efforts to rescind that afifiliation failed at the last General Convention, I should think the Episcopal Church would be hard-pressed to claim moral status for the unborn.

Coincidentally, on the same date as the “partial-birth abortion letter (April 29, 1996), Bishop Spong appeared before a Congressional Subcommittee and made a forceful appeal for legalizing “assisted suicide,” which was broadcast on C-SPAN. As far as I know, the House of Bishops has been silent on this matter, thus allowing his testimony to stand.

How sad it is that a once-respected church has felt it necessary to surrender its voice on behalf of the unborn and the dying, and what a hopeless message it sends to especially the poor woman, often the caregiver but always the mother! But all the above is hard-copy, so maybe the best we Anglicans can hope for is that Gov. Palin is a good shot.

Harold: Put a sock in it, already. Jeesh-why couldn't you have been a luddite?

Rev. Wright- did you sleepwalk through this 3 sentence , er...essay? Based on this piece of writing I'm amazed how you ever became a bishop. You obviously didn't want to write it, you practically blew the whole subject off and on top of it you imply that you have some superior knowledge of Christian wisdom that you are simply too busy to impart. I also question her judgement but if you weren't going to enlighten us, why bother to post at all?

And isn't it interesting that you, who call us "i.e. the elite", are quite the elitist?

"For someone who has taught for 20 years from a single little book, and lived off the coin that others have made, it is unlikey anyone of intelligence will assume you have any genuine insight into international affairs."

"...and lived off the coin that others have made..."

This disqualifies every person except volunteers.

The cut and paste crowd is here with no real ideas. Give us a break.

Each may shoot for their own goals by their own rules if they believe the game itself is good. Good always carries the day and that carries the vote. I think she has a good shot at it, so all you can do is keep shooting. Each have their own goals and each must tend their own garden. A little help doesn't hurt from time to time. When it rains it pours good things. Amen and Awomen.

For someone who has taught for 20 years from a single little book, and lived off the coin that others have made, it is unlikey anyone of intelligence will assume you have any genuine insight into international affairs.

Scram.

“HE HATH MADE HIS PEOPLE ISRAEL UTTERLY TO ABHOR HIM”
“THEREFORE HE SHALL BE MY SERVANT FOR EVER.”

That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying,
Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.
He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets.
A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.
And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.

“Behold my servant, whom I have chosen”
“my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased”
“I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles.”
“He shall not strive, nor cry; NEITHER SHALL ANY MAN HEAR HIS VOICE IN THE STREETS.”
“And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.”

What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? what is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou dost so charge us?
My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand.
His head is as the most fine gold, his locks are bushy, and black as a raven.
His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk, and fitly set.
His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh.
His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl: his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires.
His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.
His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.

“My beloved is white and ruddy”
“the chiefest among ten thousand”
“His head is as the most fine gold”
“his locks are bushy, and black as a raven”
“His eyes are as the eyes of doves by the rivers of waters”
“washed with milk, and fitly set”
“His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl”
“his belly is as bright ivory overlaid with sapphires.”
“His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold”
“his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.”
“His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely”
“This is my beloved, and this is my friend”
“O daughters of Jerusalem”

And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.

“David his ten thousands”

And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands?
And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.
And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard.
Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: wherefore then have ye brought him to me?
Have I need of mad men, that ye have brought this fellow to play the mad man in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house?

“and David his ten thousands”
“And David laid up these words in his heart”
“was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath.”

And David and his men went up, and invaded the Geshurites, and the Gezrites, and the Amalekites: for those nations were of old the inhabitants of the land, as thou goest to Shur, even unto the land of Egypt.
And David smote the land, and left neither man nor woman alive, and took away the sheep, and the oxen, and the asses, and the camels, and the apparel, and returned, and came to Achish.
And Achish said, Whither have ye made a road to day? And David said, Against the south of Judah, and against the south of the Jerahmeelites, and against the south of the Kenites.
And David saved neither man nor woman alive, to bring tidings to Gath, saying, Lest they should tell on us, saying, So did David, and so will be his manner all the while he dwelleth in the country of the Philistines.
And Achish believed David, saying, He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him; therefore he shall be my servant for ever.

“And David saved neither man nor woman alive”
“to bring tidings to Gath”
“And Achish believed David”
“He hath made his people Israel utterly to abhor him”
“therefore he shall be my servant for ever.”

In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

“In those days came John the Baptist”
“And saying, Repent ye”
“for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”
“Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight”

That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.
And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.
For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

“That which is crooked cannot be made straight”
“that which is wanting cannot be numbered.”

And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,

“And the Lord said unto him”
“That which is crooked cannot be made straight”
“that which is wanting cannot be numbered.”
“Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight”
“and inquire in the house of Judas”
“for one called Saul, of Tarsus”
“for, behold, he prayeth”

Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,
Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;

“love unto all the saints”
“Cease not to give thanks for you”
“making mention of you in my prayers”

It seems to me all have not seen that Saul is in the House of Judas,
And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth,

I am amazed that in the thousands of years of the Torah there is none that knows the Ark of the Covenant, the Mercy seat. It all has to do with the Ten Commandants. I am amiss that nobody knows them. How be it that nobody knows the LORD is the Father and the Mother. Many claim to know God, but I have proven that be not the case. How can there be peace on earth when the God the world worships knows nothing but evil. How can there be peace on earth when the world rejects the LORD. If anyone has a sane opinion to offer, please enlighten me.

These are the words of those with the so-called Christian belief hold deer to their heart:
“Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.”
Here is the house they are in, THE HOUSE OF SIMON THE LEPER. Here is what the law is for removing the plague upon that house.
“Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:
And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water:”
“And he shall slay the lamb in the place where he shall kill the sin offering and the burnt offering, in the holy place: for as the sin offering is the priest's, so is the trespass offering: it is most holy:”

You can clearly see all that is left is the serpent in this House of Simon the Leper. “And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself”

And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?
And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges.

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought unto the priest:
And the priest shall go forth out of the camp; and the priest shall look, and, behold, if the plague of leprosy be healed in the leper;
Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:
And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water:
As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water:
And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose into the open field.
And he that is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and wash himself in water, that he may be clean: and after that he shall come into the camp, and shall tarry abroad out of his tent seven days.
But it shall be on the seventh day, that he shall shave all his hair off his head and his beard and his eyebrows, even all his hair he shall shave off: and he shall wash his clothes, also he shall wash his flesh in water, and he shall be clean.
And on the eighth day he shall take two he lambs without blemish, and one ewe lamb of the first year without blemish, and three tenth deals of fine flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and one log of oil.
And the priest that maketh him clean shall present the man that is to be made clean, and those things, before the Lord, at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation:
And the priest shall take one he lamb, and offer him for a trespass offering, and the log of oil, and wave them for a wave offering before the Lord:
And he shall slay the lamb in the place where he shall kill the sin offering and the burnt offering, in the holy place: for as the sin offering is the priest's, so is the trespass offering: it is most holy:
And the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering, and the priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot:
And the priest shall take some of the log of oil, and pour it into the palm of his own left hand:
And the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand, and shall sprinkle of the oil with his finger seven times before the Lord:
And of the rest of the oil that is in his hand shall the priest put upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand, and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon the blood of the trespass offering:
And the remnant of the oil that is in the priest's hand he shall pour upon the head of him that is to be cleansed: and the priest shall make an atonement for him before the Lord.
And the priest shall offer the sin offering, and make an atonement for him that is to be cleansed from his uncleanness; and afterward he shall kill the burnt offering:
And the priest shall offer the burnt offering and the meat offering upon the altar: and the priest shall make an atonement for him, and he shall be clean.

And if there be in the bald head, or bald forehead, a white reddish sore; it is a leprosy sprung up in his bald head, or his bald forehead.
Then the priest shall look upon it: and, behold, if the rising of the sore be white reddish in his bald head, or in his bald forehead, as the leprosy appeareth in the skin of the flesh;
He is a leprous man, he is unclean: the priest shall pronounce him utterly unclean; his plague is in his head.
And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean.
All the days wherein the plague shall be in him he shall be defiled; he is unclean: he shall dwell alone; without the camp shall his habitation be.
The garment also that the plague of leprosy is in, whether it be a woollen garment, or a linen garment;
Whether it be in the warp, or woof; of linen, or of woollen; whether in a skin, or in any thing made of skin;
And if the plague be greenish or reddish in the garment, or in the skin, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin; it is a plague of leprosy, and shall be shewed unto the priest:
And the priest shall look upon the plague, and shut up it that hath the plague seven days:
And he shall look on the plague on the seventh day: if the plague be spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in a skin, or in any work that is made of skin; the plague is a fretting leprosy; it is unclean.
He shall therefore burn that garment, whether warp or woof, in woollen or in linen, or any thing of skin, wherein the plague is: for it is a fretting leprosy; it shall be burnt in the fire.
And if the priest shall look, and, behold, the plague be not spread in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin;
Then the priest shall command that they wash the thing wherein the plague is, and he shall shut it up seven days more:
And the priest shall look on the plague, after that it is washed: and, behold, if the plague have not changed his colour, and the plague be not spread; it is unclean; thou shalt burn it in the fire; it is fret inward, whether it be bare within or without.
And if the priest look, and, behold, the plague be somewhat dark after the washing of it; then he shall rend it out of the garment, or out of the skin, or out of the warp, or out of the woof:
And if it appear still in the garment, either in the warp, or in the woof, or in any thing of skin; it is a spreading plague: thou shalt burn that wherein the plague is with fire.
And the garment, either warp, or woof, or whatsoever thing of skin it be, which thou shalt wash, if the plague be departed from them, then it shall be washed the second time, and shall be clean.
This is the law of the plague of leprosy in a garment of woollen or linen, either in the warp, or woof, or any thing of skins, to pronounce it clean, or to pronounce it unclean.

"I believe the point of Bishop Wright's post is that since America is the superpower of the world, and makes decisions that often influence the entire world (good and bad), that people in other countries feel that they are at the mercy of the US.

My hunch is that he is also pointing the finger at his own country, another superpower that has a long history of throwing its weight around. He has made this point in some of his other interviews and commentaries."

Indeed he has GK. I also think that he is saying this with a bit of tongue-in-cheek.

In reading Dr. D's post, to which I think you were replying, I am led to think that there is a tendency on this site for people to look at members of the panel whom they do not agree with theologically/philosophically (I assume in this instance that this is true of Dr. D apropos of Bishop Wright) and overly scrutinize everything the panel member writes without really trying to hear what the person is actually saying. Just some food for thought.

Cheers,
Dave

THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE ARK SAVE THE TWO TABLES OF STONE

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them.
Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word:
But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the Lord.

“had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach”

There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone, which Moses put there at Horeb, when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.
And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord,
So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord.
Then spake Solomon, The Lord said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.

“There was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone”
“which Moses put there at Horeb”
“when the Lord made a covenant with the children of Israel”
“that the cloud filled the house of the Lord”
“for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord”
“The Lord said that he would dwell in the thick darkness”

And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even Ten Commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone.
And the Lord commanded me at that time to teach you statutes and judgments, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go over to possess it.
Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire:
Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female,
The likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air,
The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth:
And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the Lord thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven.

“And he declared unto you his covenant”
“which he commanded you to perform”
“Ten Commandments”
“he wrote them upon two tables of stone”

“Lest ye corrupt yourselves”
“make you a graven image”
“the similitude of any figure”
“the likeness of male or female”
“The likeness of any beast that is on the earth”
“the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air”
“The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground”
“the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth”
“And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven”
“when thou seest the sun”
“the moon”
“even all the host of heaven”

“LEST YE CORRUPT YOURSELVES”
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.

“WHEN THOU SEEST THE SUN”
“THE MOON”
“AND THE STARS”
“God made two great lights”
“the greater light to rule the day”
“the lesser light to rule the night”
“God called the light Day”
”the darkness he called Night
”he made the stars also”

“THE LIKENESS OF ANY FISH THAT IS IN THE WATERS BENEATH THE EARTH”
“Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life”
“God created great whales”
“and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind”

“THE LIKENESS OF ANY THING THAT CREEPETH ON THE GROUND”
“God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing”

“THE LIKENESS OF ANY WINGED FOWL THAT FLIETH IN THE AIR”
“and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven”
“every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.”

““THE LIKENESS OF ANY BEAST THAT IS ON THE EARTH”
“and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.”
“And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.”

“THE LIKENESS OF MALE OR FEMALE”
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.”

“MAKE YOU A GRAVEN IMAGE”
“THE SIMILITUDE OF ANY FIGURE”
“God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness”

“LEST YE CORRUPT YOURSELVES”
“AND LEST THOU LIFT UP THINE EYES UNTO HEAVEN”
“EVEN ALL THE HOST OF HEAVEN”
“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.”

“LEST YE CORRUPT YOURSELVES”
“And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it”

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.
And God said, Let the waters under the Heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.
And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.
And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
And the evening and the morning were the third day.
And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:
And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.
And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.
And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.
And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.
And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth.
And the evening and the morning were the fifth day.
And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.
And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.
And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.
And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

God’s will I would think would be to heal everyone. Back in the time Jesus saw that the wealthy were keeping all the protein for themselves and the poor and indentured servitude got only bread, a diet of which leads to severe malnutrition, biochemical malfunction and disease, so he was teaching them how to fish and make nets that they could get needed to eat protein and actually lift themselves from poverty. Therefore his will would be “The End of Disease” which you can read the steps and insight here.

There is no cure for disease, but there is a solution, the end of disease
http://intelegen.com/there_is_no_cure_for_disease.htm

You can also read the Fish Story Here
Sirius The FBI Agent and The Fish Company
http://iamblogging.net/Urgo/archives/2004/10/sirius_the_fbi.html

Obviously the people in positions of power are not doing God’s will because we would be implementing Universal Health not Universal Disease Care.

I have analyzed God's energy system design. Gas pipe lines are not his design.

He suspended a nuclear reactor overhead which distributes energy equally for free, all over the planet, effortless to use.

As I brought to our attention before:

In looking at the energy systems in the human body, and there isn't centralized production of energy, there is decentralized production of energy. Each cell has it's own energy production as should each house on the planet. We do need storage just like the ATP molecule in the body.

It's too bad that some don't have me by their side to duel against the fictions. I have this really cool sword ~Excalibur~.

GM is burdened by disease care costs it runs into the tens of billions. This is not good for America. It is time to implement Universal Health, not Universal Disease Care.

I also know about their internal accounting practices, and hence the need for transparency.

Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:
But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

“Seeing ye have PURIFIED YOUR SOULS IN OBEYING THE TRUTH through the spirit”
“love of the brethren”
“see that ye love one another with a PURE HEART fervently”
“BEING BORN AGAIN”
“by the WORD OF GOD”
“which LIVETH AND ABIDETH FOR EVER.”

Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said,
Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified?
Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?
For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes.
But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against thee;

“For thou hast said”
“MY DOCTRINE IS PURE”

“But oh that God would speak”
“and open his lips against thee”

Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass:
Because I will publish the name of the Lord: ascribe ye greatness unto our God.

MY DOCTRINE SHALL DROP AS THE RAIN
BECAUSE I WILL PUBLISH THE NAME OF THE LORD

For the Lord shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up, or left.
And he shall say, Where are their gods, their rock in whom they trusted,
Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offerings? let them rise up and help you, and be your protection.
See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.
For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever.

“But oh that God would speak”
“and open his lips against thee”
“Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices, and drank the wine of their drink offerings”
“let them rise up and help you, and be your protection.”

“I make alive”
“I heal”
“For I lift up my hand to heaven”
“I live for ever”

THE LORD SHALL SET HIS HAND AGAIN THE SECOND TIME
to recover the remnant of his people
he shall set up an ensign for the nations
and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel
and gather together the dispersed of Judah
the four corners of the earth
the Lord shall utterly destroy the tongue
there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people
And in that day thou shalt say
O Lord, I will praise thee
Behold, God is my salvation
I will trust, and not be afraid
Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
Praise the Lord
call upon his name
Sing unto the Lord

This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob

Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths.
Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.
Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.
Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O Lord.
Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.
The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.
All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.
For thy name's sake, O Lord, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great.
What man is he that feareth the Lord? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.
His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth.
The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.

“The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him”
“and he will shew them his covenant”

I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.
Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.
Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.
Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me,
I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.
I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O Lord, thou knowest.
I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.
Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O Lord: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.
For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.
Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me: O Lord, make haste to help me.

“he hath put a new song in my mouth”
“many shall see it, and fear”
“and shall trust in the Lord”
“Then said I, Lo, I come”
“in the volume of the book it is written of me”

Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.
Praise the Lord with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.
Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.
For the word of the Lord is right; and all his works are done in truth.
He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.

“By the word of the Lord were the heavens made”
“and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.”

Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this?
In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.
Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?
With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.
With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.

“Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this?”
“In whose hand is the soul of every living thing”
“and the breath of all mankind”
“Doth not the ear try words?”
“and the mouth taste his meat?”
“With him is wisdom and strength,”
“he hath counsel and understanding.”

Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.
For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.
I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.
The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.

“The fear of the Lord is to hate evil”
“Counsel is mine,”
“and sound wisdom”
“I am understanding”
“I have strength”

Send ye the lamb to the ruler of the land from Sela to the wilderness, unto the mount of the daughter of Zion.
For it shall be, that, as a wandering bird cast out of the nest, so the daughters of Moab shall be at the fords of Arnon.
Take counsel, execute judgment; make thy shadow as the night in the midst of the noonday; hide the outcasts; bewray not him that wandereth.
Let mine outcasts dwell with thee, Moab; be thou a covert to them from the face of the spoiler: for the extortioner is at an end, the spoiler ceaseth, the oppressors are consumed out of the land.
And in mercy shall the throne be established: and he shall sit upon it in truth in the tabernacle of David, judging, and seeking judgment, and hasting righteousness.
We have heard of the pride of Moab; he is very proud: even of his haughtiness, and his pride, and his wrath: but his lies shall not be so.
Therefore shall Moab howl for Moab, every one shall howl: for the foundations of Kirhareseth shall ye mourn; surely they are stricken.
For the fields of Heshbon languish, and the vine of Sibmah: the lords of the heathen have broken down the principal plants thereof, they are come even unto Jazer, they wandered through the wilderness: her branches are stretched out, they are gone over the sea.
Therefore I will bewail with the weeping of Jazer the vine of Sibmah: I will water thee with my tears, O Heshbon, and Elealeh: for the shouting for thy summer fruits and for thy harvest is fallen.
And gladness is taken away, and joy out of the plentiful field; and in the vineyards there shall be no singing, neither shall there be shouting: the treaders shall tread out no wine in their presses; I have made their vintage shouting to cease.
Wherefore my bowels shall sound like an harp for Moab, and mine inward parts for Kirharesh.
And it shall come to pass, when it is seen that Moab is weary on the high place, that he shall come to his sanctuary to pray; but he shall not prevail.
This is the word that the Lord hath spoken concerning Moab since that time.
But now the Lord hath spoken, saying, Within three years, as the years of an hireling, and the glory of Moab shall be contemned, with all that great multitude; and the remnant shall be very small and feeble.

“Send ye the lamb to the ruler of the land from Sela to the wilderness”
“that he shall come to his sanctuary to pray; but he shall not prevail.”
“But now the Lord hath spoken”
“Within three years”
“the glory of Moab shall be contemned”

And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;
And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:
But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth: with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.
And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.
They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.
And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.
And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea.
And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim.
But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together: they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon shall obey them.
And the Lord shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dryshod.
And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.
And in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me.
Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.
Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.
Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth.
Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.

the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him
the spirit of wisdom and understanding
the spirit of counsel and might
the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord
And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord
But with righteousness shall he judge the poor
and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth
for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord
which shall stand for an ensign of the people
to it shall the Gentiles seek
and his rest shall be glorious
it shall come to pass in that day,
THE LORD SHALL SET HIS HAND AGAIN THE SECOND TIME
to recover the remnant of his people
he shall set up an ensign for the nations
and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel
and gather together the dispersed of Judah
the four corners of the earth
the Lord shall utterly destroy the tongue
there shall be an highway for the remnant of his people
And in that day thou shalt say
O Lord, I will praise thee
Behold, God is my salvation
I will trust, and not be afraid
Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.
Praise the Lord
call upon his name
Sing unto the Lord

This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob

Which book are you recorded in? Which book of life? Who do you stand before? Are you numbered or named.

And he took the BOOK OF THE COVENANT, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient.
And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words.

Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this?
In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.
Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?
With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.
With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.

“Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this?”
“In whose hand is the soul of every living thing”
“and the breath of all mankind”
“Doth not the ear try words?”
“and the mouth taste his meat?”
“With him is wisdom and strength,”
“he hath counsel and understanding.”

And the Lord spake unto MOSES and Aaron in the land of Egypt saying,
This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.
Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:
And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.

“and the mouth taste his meat?”
“In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb”
“take it according to the NUMBER of the souls”

This is the thing which the Lord hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents.
And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less.
And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating.
And MOSES said, Let no man leave of it till the morning.
Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them.
And they gathered it every morning, every man according to his eating: and when the sun waxed hot, it melted.

“and the mouth taste his meat?”
“Gather of it every man according to his eating”
“an omer for every man”
“according to the NUMBER of your persons”
“take ye every man for them which are in his tents.”

And the Lord spake unto MOSES, saying,
When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the Lord, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them.
This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the Lord.
Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto the Lord.
The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the Lord, to make an atonement for your souls.
And thou shalt take the atonement money of the children of Israel, and shalt appoint it for the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; that it may be a memorial unto the children of Israel before the Lord, to make an atonement for your souls.

“When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their NUMBER”
“then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the Lord”
”when they give an offering unto the Lord”
“to make an atonement for your souls.”

And the Lord said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: for I will utterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.

Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the Lord's side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.
And he said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour.
And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.
For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves to day to the Lord, even every man upon his son and upon his brother that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.
And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the Lord; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin.
And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.
Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.
Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them.
And the Lord plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.

“Who is on the Lord's side? let him come unto me.”
“there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.”
“Whosoever hath sinned against me”
“him will I blot out of my book.”

Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.
I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord.
And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life.
Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.
Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

“so stand fast in the Lord”
“that they be of the same mind in the Lord”
“Rejoice in the Lord always”
“and again I say, Rejoice”
“The Lord is at hand.”

BROUGHT THEM UNTO ADAM

And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.
And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him.

“Lord God formed every beast of the field”
“and every fowl of the air”
“brought them unto ADAM to see what he would call them”
“whatsoever Adam called every LIVING CREATURE”
“that was the NAME thereof”

This is THE BOOK OF THE GENERATIONS OF ADAM. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him;

THE BOOK OF THE GENERATION OF JESUS CHRIST, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the Lord.

And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the BOOK OF LIFE OF THE LAMB slain from the foundation of the world.

And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

I believe the point of Bishop Wright's post is that since America is the superpower of the world, and makes decisions that often influence the entire world (good and bad), that people in other countries feel that they are at the mercy of the US.

My hunch is that he is also pointing the finger at his own country, another superpower that has a long history of throwing its weight around. He has made this point in some of his other interviews and commentaries.

Bp. Wright needs to recall a bit of history. But for the actions of another Englishman, things might be as he wishes them to be. Wasn't it George III who wanted to tax Americans without any input from them which led to the unpleasantness in 1776? And then again in 1812, some of his predecessors tried to impose themselves on Washington, DC, in a most hostile manner. Ever since that time, Americans have had a pretty dim view of having Englishmen, or any other foreigners voting for the US President.

Perhaps, as a start, he would like to arrange for Americans to have seats in Parliament and help select the Prime Minister of England? That would be a nice gesture in the right direction, and who knows what it might inspire.

Better yet, perhaps Bp. Wright and England would like to invite Mr. Obama to come be Prime Minister of England. That would make us both happy.

Many Europeans ask, “why is America so obsessed with religion?” The short answer is because you (Europeans) made us that way. America was initially a dumping ground for religious non-conformists, many of whom were the losers in the English Civil War. The Puritans and Calvinists found their way to New England after being shunned and marginalized in Britain and much of Europe. Lord Baltimore promoted the founding of the Maryland colony as a place to dump unwanted English Catholics. Quakers, among others, fled to the religiously-tolerant lands of Pennsylvania.

These people, to whom religion was so important, taught their children their faith. That is why religion is so important in America. The Europeans made one mistake in their effort to exile the religious non-conformists of that day. You gave them the good land.

Despite America’s rise as a power, we are still viewed as second-class in many European capitals, simply because we are not European. We are seen as mutts as compared to the European purebreds. No amount of American accomplishment has ever eliminated this bias.

In view of this bias, has America ever gotten along with the rest of the world? Before the Revolution, most Colonials simply wanted a voice in the British Parliament and the rights entitled to every Englishman. That’s when we were told that we were not Englishmen, we were Americans – the word “American” being intended as an insult and reason for deigning us the vote. So we rebelled and after winning our independence, we got along.

In World War I, Britain and France asked that America send over her troops to man the trenches. But officers they didn’t want. ‘You should not send over any officer of higher rank than captain’, we were told. The perception was that American’s didn’t know how to fight a war and we should leave the leadership to those who did. What makes this view foolish is that the American Civil War, 50-years earlier, was largely a contest of trench warfare and artillery. America “got along” by telling our European allies that Americans would fight in American units under American leadership – take it or leave it. They took it and we got along.

So once again America’s greatest problem is our “relations to the rest of the world”. So what’s new? If only America would drop all this religious nonsense and adopt a more practical view! If only America would give Europe the vote in this American presidential election! If only the Americans would listen to good European reason! -then by George, everything would be right in the world.

To Europe: You will have to forgive us Americans for not being you. And then maybe we can get along.

Sarah, as we all do to include Bishop Wright, needs to read some of Edward Schillebeeck's Words of Wisdom ( Ed is a famous, contemporary theologian):

To wit:

from his book, Church: The Human Story of God,
Crossroad, 1993, p.91 (softcover)

"Christians must give up a perverse, unhealthy and inhuman doctrine of predestination without in so doing making God the great scapegoat of history" .

"Nothing is determined in advance: in
nature there is chance and determinism; in the world of human activity there is possibility of free choices.

Therefore the historical future is not known even to God; otherwise we and our history would be merely a puppet show in which God holds the strings. For God, too, history is an adventure, an open history for and of men and women."

We just forwarded these Words to Sarah. Being bright, she will immediately see the wisdom in them and continue to adjust to her ever growing maturity.