Aristotle

"Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty, as well as the privilege and interest, of a Christian nation to select and prefer Christians for their rulers." - John Jay, first Chief Justice of the first Supreme Court, appointed by George Washington

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http://www.voanews.com/english/NewsAnalysi...01-17-voa55.cfm Christians are Leaving the Middle East By Zlatica Hoke Washington, D.C. 17 January 2006 Zlatica Hoke's Report, 2.68 MB Zlatica Hoke's Report, 912 KB The region where Christianity was born is rapidly losing its Christian population due to low birth rates and emigration. Some analysts warn about the negative consequences for the region. Christian Populations in the Middle East If exodus of Christians from Bethlehem continues in the next two or three decades, there may be no clergy left to conduct religious services in Christ's birthplace. There are between 12 and 15 million Christians in the Middle East, almost half of them living in Egypt. The exact figures are hard to establish because of the lack of official records and continued migration. Lebanon, with slightly more than one-million Christians, has the highest ratio: about 30 percent of its population is Christian. Most other Middle Eastern countries are less then 10 percent Christian.

WHERE WERE YOU (When the World Stopped Turning) by Alan Jackson Where were you when the world stopped turnin' that September day? Out in the yard with your wife and children; Or working on some stage in L.A.? Did you stand there in shock at the sight of that black smoke Rising against that blue sky? Did you shout out in anger in fear for your neighbor Or did you just sit down and cry? Did you weep for the children that lost their dear loved ones? Did you pray for the ones who don't know? Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubble and sob for the ones left below? Did you burst out in pride for the red white and blue And the heroes who died just doin' what they do? Did you look up to heaven for some kind of answer? And look at yourself for what really matters? (Chorus) I'm just a singer of simple songs; I'm not a real political man I watch CNN, but I'm not sure I can tell you the difference in Iraq and Iran But I know Jesus and I talk to God And I remember this from when I was young Faith, Hope and Love are some good things He gave us And the greatest is Love. Where were you when the world stopped turning That September day? Teaching a class full of innocent children; Driving down some cold interstate? Did you feel guilty 'cause you're a survivor in a crowded room did you feel alone? Did you call up your mother and tell her you love her? Did you dust off that bible at home? Did you open your eyes hope it never happened; And close your eyes and not go to sleep? Did you notice the sunset the first time in ages; Or speak to some stranger on the street? Did you lay down at night and think of tomorrow; Go out and buy you a gun? Did you turn off that violent old movie you're watchin' And turn on "I Love Lucy" reruns? Did you go to a church and hold hands with some strangers? Stand in line and give your own blood? Did you just stay home and cling tight to your family Thank God you had somebody to love? (Chorus) I'm just a singer of simple songs; I'm not a real political man I watch CNN, but I'm not sure I can tell you the difference in Iraq and Iran But I know Jesus and I talk to God And I remember this from when I was young Faith, Hope and Love are some good things He gave us And the greatest is Love. I'm just a singer of simple songs; I'm not a real political man I watch CNN, but I'm not sure I can tell you the difference in Iraq and Iran But I know Jesus and I talk to God And I remember this from when I was young Faith, Hope and Love are some good things He gave us And the greatest is Love. And the greatest is Love. And the greatest is Love. Where were you when the world stopped turnin' that September day?

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Oh come on, there's no reason to believe the Democrats are going to take over the government any time soon. President George Bush Sr. had a lot to say about the New World Order. ;-)

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Thanks, Prendi...we have already discussed this issue with Heather, and she knows we are here as a couple. - The Aristotles

I believe we have been asked to just have one account in this forum.

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Another recent example... PROTECT MILITARY PRAYER 10.24.05 A pattern of hostility to free speech - specifically the rights of Christians to pray - is on the rise in our country. We saw it in our nation’s public schools ... where prayer was officially banned. We have seen it in our workplaces. Now, our United States military seems to have “jumped on the bandwagon” ... with Air Force leadership recently releasing proposed guidelines that will restrict how Air Force chaplains can pray. If approved, these guidelines may well be implemented throughout the entire Armed Forces. This is an outrage that we cannot allow! Already, it is documented that chaplains are “feeling the heat” to restrict their prayers and mask their faith. Christian chaplains are being told NOT to pray in the name of Jesus! For many Christian chaplains, praying in the name of Jesus is a fundamental part of their beliefs. To suppress this form of expression would be a violation of their constitutional rights and religious freedoms. Furthermore, to censor Christian chaplains is a disservice to the thousands of Christian soldiers in the military who look to their chaplains for comfort, inspiration, and support ... just as military soldiers of other faiths look to their chaplains. Again, we cannot allow these proposed guidelines to be passed. We cannot sit idly by while our honored Christian military chaplains are singled out and silenced. I have assembled a senior legal team at the ACLJ, including a 20-year military veteran who worked at the Pentagon. We are drafting a legal analysis and comments to be used in this process. Thankfully, a group of Congressmen has joined together to call on the President to protect by Executive Order the constitutional right of military chaplains to pray according to their faith. In response to this outrageous and blatant religious intolerance and infringement of free speech rights, the ACLJ has embarked on a nationwide campaign to PROTECT PRAYER and the constitutional rights of military chaplains. In our Armed Forces, all faiths must be respected. Christian chaplains must be permitted to pray in the name of Jesus. The ACLJ is working to generate a massive grassroots effort, to let the President know that we will not stand for this type of blatant religious intolerance in our nation’s military. President Bush must step in to protect religious freedom. Please add your name to our letter to President Bush urging him to protect the rights of military chaplains. http://www.aclj.org/

Recent example of a "murderous conspiracy"...a "hate crime" against Christians: THREE 16-YEAR OLD CHRISTIAN GIRLS BEHEADED IN INDONESIA JAKARTA (Reuters) - Men in black clothes and masks beheaded three teenage Christian girls on Saturday in eastern Indonesia as they walked to school near the Muslim town of Poso, officials said. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono condemned the killings, which he described as "sadist and inhuman crimes," and called an emergency security meeting with his vice-president, as well as military officials and police. National police spokesman Aryanto Budiharjo said up to six men in black clothes and masks attacked the students in Bukit Bambu village, on the eastern island of Sulawesi. "The perpetrators wore black attire and veils and they used machetes to slash (the victims)," he told reporters in Jakarta. The three headless bodies of the high school students, dressed in brown uniforms, were left at the site of the attack. Three heads were found at separate locations two hours later by residents. Earlier, a police official in Poso gave a different account, saying two men wearing helmets on a motorcycle attacked the 16-year-old students. He said the student who escaped said the attackers wore helmets and carried a two-way radio. Poso, 1,500 km (900 miles) northeast of the capital Jakarta, is in an area where Muslim-Christian clashes killed 2,000 people until a peace deal was agreed in 2001. Although religious fighting has largely subsided, tension is still high in the region following bombings in the neighboring Christian town of Tentena which killed 22 people in May. Security experts have said local Islamic radicals may have been responsible for the bombings in Tentena. Budiharjo said around 400 policemen will be sent to reinforce security in Poso. About 85 percent of Indonesia's 220 million people are Muslim. But in some eastern parts, Christian and Muslim populations are about equal. In Jakarta, president Yudhoyono also called for calm and pledged to hunt down the attackers. "I want to tell all my brothers and sisters in Poso that such violence cannot be tolerated, and the police with the military will make sure that it will not happen again." http://www.aliraqi.org/forums/archive/index.php/t-51901.html http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051029/wl_nm/...sia_violence_dc

The Book of Mormon warns us that when we see these murderous conspiracies in our midst that we should awake to our awful situation. The definition of conspiracy is: a joining secretly with others for an evil purpose. It ceases to be a conspiracy once it is exposed.

I remember a case where an employee of the I.R.S. was using his job position to threaten members to pay their income tax. I also recall someone comparing Martin Luther King, Jr. to Joseph Smith. Another case was a CPS caseworker warning members of the Church to report "suspicions" of child abuse. President Benson stated (paraphrasing), '[some] use the pulpit as a pipeline for political/socialistic propoganda". "The Church," says President McKay, "is little, if at all, injured by persecutions and calumnies from ignorant, misinformed, or malicious enemies." (The Instructor, Feb. 1956, p. 33) It is from within the Church that the greatest hindrance comes. And so, it seems, it has been. Now the question arises, will we stick with the kingdom and can we avoid being deceived? Certainly this is an important question, for the Lord has said that in the last days the devil will "rage in the hearts of the children of men" (2 Nephi 28:20) and if it were possible, '[he] shall deceive the very elect." (Joseph Smith 1:22)

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Excellent post, prisonchaplain! In addition to your examples, I recall an incident whereby The National Endowment of the Arts allowed a picture of Christ to be displayed in urine. At a museum in our city, Veterans picketed as the American Flag was displayed in a toilet.

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Amen, Jared! We love the pictures you post, by the way... - The Aristotles

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SUPREME COURT LEADING AMERICA DOWN ROAD TO ATHEISM For a hundred years, boys and girls born in America, and they who later obtained citizenship in this great country, have felt that they are "endowed by their Creator, with certain Unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness," and that these rights are endowed by our Creator. Recent rulings of the Supreme Court would have all reference to a Creator eliminated from our public schools and public offices. It is a sad day when the Supreme Court of the United States would discourage all reference in our schools to the influence of the phrase "divine providence" as used by our founders of the Declaration of Independence. Evidentally, the Supreme Court misinterprets the true meaning of the First Amendment, and are now leading a Christian nation down the road to atheism. - President David O. McKay, CN-6/22/63, Prophets, Principles and National Survival

Not at all, prisonchaplain...in fact, your observations are very accurate. - The Aristotles

Alas! The Aristotles can not only copy paste, but they type as well. :-)

For the record, Aristotle, my husband, joined this forum (using his email address, not mine). I, Mrs. Aristotle ("Mrs. A"), also post in this forum. It is customary to refer to people by their registered name. Since we post as a couple, please feel free to refer to us as "Aristotle", in order to avoid any further confusion. Thanks, - The Aristotles