Gone Fishing

by Chuck Ness

It has been a very long and hectic year for me, and I find myself a bit burned out and and not very creative. Oh I realize it is only March 8th, but the past 12 months of my life have been very strenuous. I have tried time and time again to actually step back and slow down, just to find my self being pulled back to do even more then I was before. Well, I truly believe that now is the time for me to take a hiatus from my writing. I have been blessed in that the Lord has led some who have volunteered to write some articles and thus step up to assist me in keeping my blogs somewhat up to date. These guest writers will write articles and Sunday messages as the Lord moves them.

Last year at this time I was confronted by the director of the retirement center where I am a pastor. This is something I have not shared with anyone but my close friends and relatives. As I was giving the message on Good Friday I was told to tame down my description of the suffering Christ went through for our sins. Well, I refused and instead was asked to leave the premises by the director himself. At the time I guessed that I would no longer be the pastor because I refused to give in to the secular thought about one of Christianities most sacred days. Well, about a month later I was told that a mistake had been made and that they had fired the director of the retirement center. I was asked by the new director if I would consider returning as the pastor of the residents. I obviously accepted and have been going strong since. 

 

I share that with you all now, so that you know I am a man of my convictions, and as such my opinions are so rooted in my soul that it will take God and God alone to change the way think. However, I must admit that being a mere sinner like all humans, I too error in the way I go about things from time to time. The difference is I look to Christ to forgive me and I am guaranteed He does, each and every time I stumble. I guess I would like to say to anyone I may have offended in the past, that my intentions are well meaning even if the tone and words I use do not exactly reflect the person I try to be.

As you know I have been toying with the idea of stepping back from my busy schedule. I seemed to have loaded way too much on my plate and in the process my personal life has begun to be ignored because of it. Sometimes we need to step back and slow down and that time has come for me. I plan on taking this time to attend to my affairs and listen to what it is the good Lord wants me to hear. I truly do feel as though God is telling me that he wants me listen and not talk so much for awhile. Well at least not to write, because I will still be attending to my responsibilities of presenting sermons on Sunday afternoons, and leading the Monday night Bible studies at Windchime Retirement Center. As of now I don't have a replacement and with out my presence they will have no one to share the word with them on Sundays, so that aspect of my schedule will continue as usual.

I really will be doing some fishing as my title alludes to, something I was only able to do a few times last year. I truly missed trouncing up and down the rivers with a fly rod in my hand and the Lords great outdoors all around me. The times when I can get out and go fishing have been some of my best moments spent in solitude with our Lord. My wife is doing better now and she too enjoys fishing, and misses it like me. Usually I take our 4WD and find a nice secluded spot. I then dig the river bank out a bit for a ramp I made for her so she can fish from her wheelchair on the shoreline. This picture was taken two years ago on the Feather River. We arrived at 6:00 in the morning that day and by 8:30 or 9:00 I was finished with the ramp and platform and we were both fishing. The rivers in Northern California should be flowing with plenty of water this year, and that should make for some great fishing this year.

Along with my wife's healing process from the surgery last October, she is also dealing with some new complications that arose because of her medical troubles that led to the surgery. It's my prayers that as the weather gets warmer she will begin to feel better, but her current troubles is another reason that I am taking some time off. My bride needs me to help her get beyond this current phase of her life, and quite frankly with out her by my side nothing else seems right, nor worthwhile at times. The Lord always gives us the strength we need to deal with the problems we all face in life, but He also lets us know when it's time to step back, slow down and take care of our loved ones.

I wrote most of this message before I was informed by my local hometown newspaper the "Enterprise Record", that they want me to write a blog for them. Well, it is an opportunity I cannot pass up, and so I have agreed to take the opportunity to widen my reach for the Lord's word, and for my political opinions. I have written for the Post Script blog, but just as a guest writer, this will be something I have complete control over. Considering the troubles I have had with the editor at PS the last few months, this is a blessing from God, since I will now unencumbered to state my opinions from now on. I have yet to come up with a name for it and if anyone has an idea of a name I would be interested in hearing your thoughts on it. Being an official newspaper, I will automatically have the advantage of their reputation behind me, that is what reputation any paper has left in today's world. However it is still better then a normal blogspot that many are limited to, and it is the same newspaper that Anthony Watts writes his blog, "Watts Up With That" for.

Well I will not begin my blogging for the ER until May 1st, so until then I would like to say thanks and God bless to you all. This blog, "Gate of the City Ministry", my political blog, "The Way One Vike Sees It" and my video blog, "Interesting, Weird, & Educational Videos " will all cease to exist as of may 1st when I combine them all into the ER blog I am being given.

I guess it's time to pack up the cooler, the ramps and the fishing gear for a trip to the Feather river. Maybe I can finally catch that California brown trout that got away from me last spring. Please keep my wife and I both in your prayers, as we both pray for God's abundant grace for you all. As I fade away down the river, please enjoy this psalm I wrote a few years ago.

"A Desire for the Lords Guidance"

My Father my Lord, show me the way to Your paradise, guide my steps so that I may not fall into the quagmire of sin. Show me my faults Lord, so that I may correct them and be restored into Your imperial court. Instruct me in the ways of Your will O' Lord, so that I may not be defiled or corrupted by my own selfishness. When I walked in the dark I found myself lost in the alley of despair, not realizing that my way was one of ruin and constant failure.

I now follow You, my Creator, my Savior, the Infinite One who breathes the life I inhale, My soul craves for the manna from Your plantation of plenty and my heart thirsts for the pure water from Your Rock of Salvation. I shall sit back in Your chariot of fire and accept Your tutelage while You chauffeur me on my way to paradise. Your way is straight O' Lord, and the guidance You give me is exceedingly perfect. I shall praise Your name daily as I thank You for keeping me safe and washing away the filth that I allowed myself to be corrupted with along the way.

Amen and Amen

God Bless,
Your Brother in Christ,

Chuck Ness (OneVike)

Gone Fishing

by Chuck Ness

It has been a very long and hectic year for me, and I find myself a bit burned out and and not very creative. Oh I realize it is only March 8th, but the past 12 months of my life have been very strenuous. I have tried time and time again to actually step back and slow down, just to find my self being pulled back to do even more then I was before. Well, I truly believe that now is the time for me to take a hiatus from my writing. I have been blessed in that the Lord has led some who have volunteered to write some articles and thus step up to assist me in keeping my blogs somewhat up to date. These guest writers will write articles and Sunday messages as the Lord moves them.

Last year at this time I was confronted by the director of the retirement center where I am a pastor. This is something I have not shared with anyone but my close friends and relatives. As I was giving the message on Good Friday I was told to tame down my description of the suffering Christ went through for our sins. Well, I refused and instead was asked to leave the premises by the director himself. At the time I guessed that I would no longer be the pastor because I refused to give in to the secular thought about one of Christianities most sacred days. Well, about a month later I was told that a mistake had been made and that they had fired the director of the retirement center. I was asked by the new director if I would consider returning as the pastor of the residents. I obviously accepted and have been going strong since.

I share that with you all now, so that you know I am a man of my convictions, and as such my opinions are so rooted in my soul that it will take God and God alone to change the way think. However, I must admit that being a mere sinner like all humans, I too error in the way I go about things from time to time. The difference is I look to Christ to forgive me and I am guaranteed He does, each and every time I stumble. I guess I would like to say to anyone I may have offended in the past, that my intentions are well meaning even if the tone and words I use do not exactly reflect the person I try to be.

As you know I have been toying with the idea of stepping back from my busy schedule. I seemed to have loaded way too much on my plate and in the process my personal life has begun to be ignored because of it. Sometimes we need to step back and slow down and that time has come for me. I plan on taking this time to attend to my affairs and listen to what it is the good Lord wants me to hear. I truly do feel as though God is telling me that he wants me listen and not talk so much for awhile. Well at least not to write, because I will still be attending to my responsibilities of presenting sermons on Sunday afternoons, and leading the Monday night Bible studies at Windchime Retirement Center. As of now I don't have a replacement and with out my presence they will have no one to share the word with them on Sundays, so that aspect of my schedule will continue as usual.

I really will be doing some fishing as my title alludes to, something I was only able to do a few times last year. I truly missed trouncing up and down the rivers with a fly rod in my hand and the Lords great outdoors all around me. The times when I can get out and go fishing have been some of my best moments spent in solitude with our Lord. My wife is doing better now and she too enjoys fishing, and misses it like me. Usually I take our 4WD and find a nice secluded spot. I then dig the river bank out a bit for a ramp I made for her so she can fish from her wheelchair on the shoreline. This picture was taken two years ago on the Feather River. We arrived at 6:00 in the morning that day and by 8:30 or 9:00 I was finished with the ramp and platform and we were both fishing. The rivers in Northern California should be flowing with plenty of water this year, and that should make for some great fishing this year.

Along with my wife's healing process from the surgery last October, she is also dealing with some new complications that arose because of her medical troubles that led to the surgery. It's my prayers that as the weather gets warmer she will begin to feel better, but her current troubles is another reason that I am taking some time off. My bride needs me to help her get beyond this current phase of her life, and quite frankly with out her by my side nothing else seems right, nor worthwhile at times. The Lord always gives us the strength we need to deal with the problems we all face in life, but He also lets us know when it's time to step back, slow down and take care of our loved ones.

I wrote most of this message before I was informed by my local hometown newspaper the "Enterprise Record", that they want me to write a blog for them. Well, it is an opportunity I cannot pass up, and so I have agreed to take the opportunity to widen my reach for the Lord's word, and for my political opinions. I have written for the Post Script blog, but just as a guest writer, this will be something I have complete control over. Considering the troubles I have had with the editor at PS the last few months, this is a blessing from God, since I will now unencumbered to state my opinions from now on. I have yet to come up with a name for it and if anyone has an idea of a name I would be interested in hearing your thoughts on it. Being an official newspaper, I will automatically have the advantage of their reputation behind me, that is what reputation any paper has left in today's world. However it is still better then a normal blogspot that many are limited to, and it is the same newspaper that Anthony Watts writes his blog, "Watts Up With That" for.

Well I will not begin my blogging for the ER until May 1st, so until then I would like to say thanks and God bless to you all. This blog, "Gate of the City Ministry", my political blog, "The Way One Vike Sees It" and my video blog, "Interesting, Weird, & Educational Videos " will all cease to exist as of may 1st when I combine them all into the ER blog I am being given.

I guess it's time to pack up the cooler, the ramps and the fishing gear for a trip to the Feather river. Maybe I can finally catch that California brown trout that got away from me last spring. Please keep my wife and I both in your prayers, as we both pray for God's abundant grace for you all. As I fade away down the river, please enjoy this psalm I wrote a few years ago.

"A Desire for the Lords Guidance"

My Father my Lord, show me the way to Your paradise, guide my steps so that I may not fall into the quagmire of sin. Show me my faults Lord, so that I may correct them and be restored into Your imperial court. Instruct me in the ways of Your will O' Lord, so that I may not be defiled or corrupted by my own selfishness. When I walked in the dark I found myself lost in the alley of despair, not realizing that my way was one of ruin and constant failure.


I now follow You, my Creator, my Savior, the Infinite One who breathes the life I inhale, My soul craves for the manna from Your plantation of plenty and my heart thirsts for the pure water from Your Rock of Salvation. I shall sit back in Your chariot of fire and accept Your tutelage while You chauffeur me on my way to paradise. Your way is straight O' Lord, and the guidance You give me is exceedingly perfect. I shall praise Your name daily as I thank You for keeping me safe and washing away the filth that I allowed myself to be corrupted with along the way.

Amen and Amen

God Bless,
Your Brother in Christ,

Chuck Ness (OneVike)

Prohibition on Homosexuality Was Not Repealed By Christ

Today there are many false Christian teachers who are are leading many poor souls straight to hell by claiming that Jesus never spoke against the union of two men or two women, so homosexuality is now condoned by God. Let me say right from the start, except for the ceremonials ones (which Jesus repealed), all of the Mosaic laws are still in force. That is because there were three categories of laws given to Israel: civil, ceremonial, and moral. The civil laws were ONLY given to the Israel. The ceremonial laws were filled and abolished in Christ. The moral laws, such as the Ten Commandments and other Mosaic moral laws are universal. They are part of Natural and Divine Law. Homosexuality is clearly contrary to moral and natural laws. All forms of homosexuality are condemned, past, present, and future.

What Jesus did was fulfill the laws handed down by God. Matthew 5:17 If you look at the teachings of Jesus, you will see that he reiterated all the OT laws. What He did do away with however, was the ceremonials laws that were needed to gain forgiveness and be pure before God, but now we look to Christ for our salvation instead of through the works that God required the Israelites to do. So I can say without hesitation that Jesus also did not repeal the prohibition against homosexuality.



There will be many who will now automatically accuse me of claiming that those who commit adultery and other such immoral crimes should be stoned as the law of Moses commanded. However, what they fail to understand is that even under the Mosaic law, the death penalty was not the only requirement for the penalty of breaking the laws of murder, adultery, and other such crimes.


In 2 Samuel chapters 11 and 12, we learn about King David's sin of adultery with Bathsheba, and we also learn about him having Bathsheba's husband Uriah killed because he refused to sleep with his wife. However, what they fail to understand is that, under Mosaic law, the penalty for murder, adultery, and other such crimes was not merely death, but death by stoning. So, both David and Bathsheba should have been stoned to death, but they were not. We can say that because David was the King is the reason he was not stoned, but we would be wrong. Fact is, God forgave David because of his broken and contrite heart. David wrote about this in Psalm 51, where it says;

"For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart These, O God, You will not despise." Psalm 51:16-17

Think about that, David was admitting that a sacrifice would not do, nor would any burnt offering be enough to hold back God's anger at him for his sin. What we can learn from this is that David knew he needed a change of heart to be forgiven. He understood that if God wanted him dead him and Bathsheba both would be dead, but in his heart he was truly remorseful and God, who can discern the heart knew it. So God forgave him of his sin.
Now let us jump forward to the day the Pharisees brought forward the woman caught in adultery, Jesus was supposedly caught in a dilemma. He could either agree to have the woman stoned and then suffer the consequences of those who were following Him to turn away from Him because they know that they too are guilty of similar sins that require as harsh or harsher a punishment. Or He could let her go and thus be in violation of the Mosaic law and thus prove He was not whom He claimed to be.
Well from the story of David, we know that God Jesus looks at the heart and not the actions and Christ is God, so what He did was use the Mosaic law to forgive her. So, knowing the heart of men, Jesus knew that the men who had surrounded her with stones in hand and ready to put her to death, also deserved such punishment. So He did what the law called for. He called for a witness who was innocent to cast the first stone. What what happened was one by one, starting from the eldest on down to the youngest, they all dropped their weapons of punishment and went away. Jesus looked at the woman and asked where her accusers were and she said she had none. Jesus told her, that he did not accuse her either. He did tell her however to, "go and sin no more" John 8:10-11
So, in the case of adultery that called for death by stoning, Jesus was strict to the letter of the law. However by telling her to not sin anymore He was letting her know that forgiveness comes with a change of lifestyle and this is what false teachers false to understand about the Scriptures. Any person who claims to be a Christian, but continues to willfully sin, is not a Christian. We are told by John;

"Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous. He who is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God." 1John 3:7-9

However we are also told by John earlier in the same epistle;

"My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our, and not for ours only but also for the whole world." 1John 2:1-2

So, we do sin as Christians, but not willfully and when we do sin we ask for forgiveness so that we can again get back into fellowship with our Christian brethren. What the false teachers are doing is leading many poor souls down the path of destruction by telling people to sin, and not to ask for forgiveness because Christ does not look at their actions as sin. All Christians come to Christ with a realization that they have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, but we also learn that through the blood of Christ we are washed clean. However it takes courage to admit that the things we do which we enjoy are wrong, and that we must do our utmost to stop doing them as Jesus tells us. We can and do stumble and fall, but if we arrogantly continue to sin without remorse or guilt then we are condemned under the same law that God gave Moses, it is just that we are dead to the brotherhood of Christ until we repent just as the man who was sleeping with his fathers wife and Paul said to expel him from the church until he asked and gained forgiveness. 1Corinthians 5:1-6
Just like this man, the false teachers of our day needs to be expelled from the circle of Christianity and rebuked for their false teaching. We should not associate with them unless they repent, as Paul said. It is not the same as a person who never accepted Christ and we are attempting to reach them we are talking about those who have accepted the teachings of Christ but now are unrepentant sinning Christians who are actually twisting the truth of what the Scriptures teach. Until good decent Christians publicly rebuke those who hold Christ and His teachings up to ridicule the world will continue to look to the church with jaundiced eyes.
This is one of the reasons why Islam is growing so fast in America. Man's spirit wants and desires absolutes, and if they are not going to find them in Christianity, then they will gravitate to where the line of demarcation between right and wrong exists. Islam has a clear defined line of what they say is right and wrong. They also do not allow any secular government to define what their religion should teach. Unfortunately too many people, who are looking for absolutes, do not always find that kind of defined line in the sand in the Christian community. This is why so many innocent people gravitate to false religions that do have absolutes.

So, because man was created by God, he desires to know his Father and his Fathers ways. However, if God's precepts are not properly followed by those who teach His ways, then men will follow the false gods of man made religions like Islam, Hinduism, or even the false charismatic Christian cult leaders like David Koresh of the Branch Davidians, or Jim Jones of the Peoples Temple.
So, I would suggest that anyone who considers themselves to be a Christian, to think long and hard when they are told, by a person claiming to be a teacher of Christ's precepts, that homosexuality is OK because Jesus did not speak against it.

I pray that those who have ears to hear will hear His voice and call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen

OK Go - This Too Shall Pass (Rube Goldberg Machine Video)

Ok, I am into country music, but this I would categorize under the heading if interesting.  I have always enjoyed watching the many domino setups that are put together for the Guinness book of world records and when I saw this it caught my eye.  I don't know how many will like it but even if you don't like the music I hope you at least enjoy video that was directed by James Frost and Syyn Labs for the alternative rock band OK Go. 
 
Well the band, who's low budget, award winning "treadmills" video which has has garnered almost 50 million hits on YouTube, wanted to feature a 4-minute long Rube Goldberg Machine in an upcoming video.  So they contacted Syyn Labs to help them build it.  The requirements for the machine was that it had to be interesting, but not overbuilt, nor too technologically heavy, and easy to follow. Like their "treadmills" video, it also had to be built on a shoestring budget.  They needed the machine to be synchronized to the beats and lyrics of the music the composed and it had to end precisely at the same time as their 3.5 minute song.  Oh yea, the machine needed to play a part of the song, and be filmed in one shot. To make the whole video even more challenging, the space chosen was divided into two floors and the machine would have to use both both.
 

"We had our work cut out for us; every facet of Syyn Labs

expertise was required to meet this tremendous challenge." 

   
As you can see in the video, their work payed off because the machine the shoot was accomplished in one take and fit the song.  Well thay say it fit.  However, every time I watch the video I fail to hear the lyrics or the music because I'm so caught up in the workings of the machine.  Well, I hope you enjoy this tremendous work of art that was put together for the video, I did.

Train Rides

Have you ever wondered how people get from point A to point B, I don't mean in a physical mileage way, but in an emotional way. We all take in our surroundings and make decisions based upon the way we see things happening. Then when we get to a certain point in our life we take an inventory of how we are doing. Sometimes we are relatively satisfied, and other times we are disappointed, but do we ever really reflect upon the decisions we made that ultimately got us to point B?

I guess we might if we realize we are dissatisfied with our lot in life, but do we ever revisit those moments and try to undo the damage we did by our wayward conclusions. Or do we instead attempt to revise our opinion of our place in society that has us where we are at any given moment? Often times I find myself looking at my surroundings and wondering what would be different had I not missed my stop at Mannheim Germany 26 years ago.


 It was a long way back to Mannheim and we had to be back before roll call, so we had no choice but to board the train and hope that we didn’t get turned into the authorities. I sat in silence looking out the window wondering why I allowed myself to get talked into such a risky deal. In the distance I could see small lights beyond the darkness, but they just seemed to highlight my reflection in the window. I felt like my head was frozen in the position, and I couldn’t turn away from the window. All I could think to say to Mike’s constant ranting and murmuring was the single phrase, “Uhuh.”


I don’t really know how long I looked out the window before I fell asleep, but I was surprised when the conductor nudged my shoulder and woke me up. It took a few moments before I realized what he was trying to tell me. My German wasn’t great but it was good enough to understand that the train had reached its final destination and we had to get off. As I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, I asked him where we were and what time it was. Unfortunately, his reply was not what I wanted to hear.


He told us we were in Speyer as he waved towards the doors. We grabbed our only possessions which was a small paper bag of dried bread with a half-empty bottle of soda water, and headed for the doors. I looked at Mike and saw the same sleepy look in his eyes, as he must have saw in mine. The conductor either failed to tell me what the time was or my brain never registered his answer. It didn’t much matter though, because the light of day told me we already missed roll call. 


As we got off the train, I saw a big clock above the train station entrance. It was 7:45, we had not only missed our stop by more than 20 kilometers, but we also missed roll call by over two hours. Walking out the station doors and looking at the quite town of Speyer, I felt Mike's hand grab my shoulder as he pulled me to his side. As my body tilted awkwardly towards him he hooked his arm around my neck,while stating in a matter of voice that was on the verge of laughter, “Clarence? I do believe we are AWOL”.


With those words still echoing in my head, Mike and I began a journey that would take us all over Europe and eventually to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea before we would decide to turn our selves in. The weekend started off with a trip to Amsterdam to buy a kilo of hashish, it ended with us being “Absent With Out Leave” from the US Army.


Before we headed on our journey to anywhere but Mannheim, we decided aliases would be needed for our adventure. I chose the name Chuck that was originally given to me in school by a kid who could not pronounce Clarence. Mike chose the name Dave, but I really do not remember why he picked that name. When we eventually returned for our punishment a Month later, Dave became Mike again, I on the other hand liked my new name, and so now you know how I became Chuck.


That's a time in my life that many things changed, to start with, I turned 18 while we were AWOL. I eventually paid for my wayward act of taking an extended vacation from the Army, but in the end I wound up with an honorable discharge two years later when my enlistment, plus make up time was up. For better or for worse, I truly grew up while I was AWOL, as I feel it was then that I began to put aside many of the immature thoughts and actions which until then were only holding me back from the potential God gave me.

So as I look back at point A, I wonder what would be different had I not fallen asleep while I was on that train ride back to Mannheim? Well, to start with, I would probably still be going by the name of Clarence. The rest I will leave for another day of reflection.

Flying My Flag at Half Mast

By ChuckOn the morning of March 22, I raised my flag to the top of the 25 foot pole In my front yard. I must have forgotten to tie it off, because when I returned later in the afternoon from presenting my Sunday message I noticed that the flag had been lowered to half mast. That evening I watched the the House of Representatives vote on the Senate's version of the Healthcare legislation. As the remaining votes needed to pass the legislation were cast, I began to thinking about the damage this legislation would do to America. It was then that I was struck by how prophetic my flag being lowered to half mast really was. I decided at that moment to leave my flag at half mast where I believe God had lowered it to.
It is my opinion that we are experiencing what could very well be the last decades of what has been called the greatest civilization the world has ever seen. Yes, I believe that the America I once knew is forever gone. I say so because I cannot foresee the Republicans ever reversing the Health Care bill. I do pray that if and when a challenge to the law gets to the the Supreme Court, that it will ruling it unconstitutional. Unfortunately, as much as many will disagree with me, I believe a vast majority of Americans have turned their backs on God. In doing so, He has turned His back on us as a nation. We cannot continue to condone the many evil things we do in America as if God has changed His mind about what says is evil.

As a Christian, I guess I should be thankful that the current events are turning out the way they are. After all the many conditions I feel are needed to be in place for the various "End Times" scenarios to be fulfilled are now falling into place. I have stated before, and do so again, that I tend to look at certain aspects of the end times prophecies a bit different then many of my colleagues who hold to dispensationalism. Without getting into the specifics, I will just say that my understanding of history and politics, tend to lead me towards a different understanding of how the world will be ruled just before Christ returns. Mankind has become selfish and lazy, a fact that has led the majority of nations to be dominated by governments which lean towards some type of Socialism. Whether it be under democratic socialism or democratic capitalism, it is still a system ruled by the people who allow some sort of redistribution of wealth to pay for services they demand while expecting to do less work for those services.

This egalitarian type of political rule allows for many absurd and dangerous aspects of society to flourish that could not survive in a totalitarian system. Now while totalitarian regimes are some of the worse types of governments, mainly due to the complete control they exercise over its citizens, they do tend to protect the state at all costs. A cursory look at the way Castro dealt with those afflicted with AIDS in the 1980's compared to how democracies around the world has, will make my point. Any Cubans who contracted AIDS were locked away in institutions to keep them from infecting the general population. (Even today there still exists in Cuba AID's death camps in Cuba) While in America and Western Europe we champion the very act, homosexuality, that spreads the sickness in the name of freedom and choice. We also allow the dreaded disease to promulgate through out our society by teaching our children in school that homosexuality is a lifestyle that is equal to heterosexuality.

I use the example of the way the AID's problem was handled because of the reason behind Christ's return. It's important to understand that Christ will not return to usher in a new heaven and new earth because governments have made men evil. Christ will return because mankind has willingly refused to turn away from evil and follow His teachings. I realize that there are many people, of all political and religious persuasions who do not wish to accept this truth. However, those who are willing to actually look at the evil in this world that is perpetrated by men and women all over the world against others, will understand my point.

I also believe that not only will the left increase it's attack on Christianity, but our very government which was based upon Judeo-Christian values will lead the charge. We are already seeing different groups demanding that the government force Christians to stop preaching the truths of the Bible. Eventually, like Canada and some European countries, we too will see conservative evangelicals charged with hate crimes against homosexuals that will set the state against the church. What will make this coming attack easier, is the way we are now seeing denomination after denomination allowing practicing Homosexuals to be ordained ministers by claiming God does not condemn the lifestyle so why should we. I will actually address this problem in my Sunday message tomorrow.

I have seen many disturbing things take place all around the world in the last few decades, but as long as America stood against the destructive ways of other socialist countries I still felt the end was a long ways off. However, the day the Democrats illegally passed the Health Care legislation and Obama then signed it into law, the America I knew died. We can fight on and try to overturn this law, but the fact remains that no social program ever started, has ever been reversed.

This is why I fly my flag now at half mast, and I shall do so until God moves me to raise. The end is near, it is now just a matter of time before the skubalon hits the fan.

Dog Grabs Roman Candle and Runs With It

Some things are just too funny to describe, but what we have here is Dauchshund that decided to grab a Roman Candle that was already lit and run around with the thing shooting it's flares. The adults in this video can thank God that no one, especially the children, was injured. Fortunately, we can enjoy this while laughing because no one was hurt.

The 50 Points of the Retrosexual / Neosexual Code, for Real Men Today

by guest writer,
Tom Hawks

This whole Retrosexual term and idea was first brought to my attention by a Freeper named ExSoldier who commented to an article written by One Vike that posted at Freerepublic titled, "Sorry Obama but Women Desire Real Men".  I looked around for the genesis of this list and found out from Michelle Malkin site that the author of the Retrosexual Code is Grau Magus, whose anti-metrosexual manifesto has made the rounds on of the Internet and eventually took on a life of its own.  Now you can find the list in many places and with many various points added onto it.  There is even a facebook site named, The Retrosexual Code that men of like minds can join to share and discuss the way they see the feminization of the modern man.

The list or I should say, the code I am sharing is actually a cleaned up version of what Freeper, ExSoldier posted on FR with a few changes but none that would be substantial. I am adding the phrase "Neosexual" to the title of the code also as it better fits because of the poll that OV used in his article which brought this code to my attention used the phrase. Unfortunately the blog that had the original rant and list have long been removed from the web for whatever reason that only the author would know. Here is what remains from the original rant by Mrs, or Miss Grau Magus. 

Ok folks, I have had it. I've taken all I can stand and I can't stand no more. Every time my TV is on, all that can be seen is effeminate men prancing about, redecorating houses and talking about foreign concepts like "style" and "feng shui." Heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, trans-sexual, metrosexual, non-sexual; blue, green, and purple-sexual-bogus definitions have taken over the urban and suburban world!

Real men of the world, stand up, scratch your butt, belch, and yell "ENOUGH!" I hereby announce the start of a new offensive in the culture wars, the Retrosexual movement.

 The Retrosexual or Neosexual Code for Real men


1.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual man does not ride in the back seat with the baby while women drive  the car.  Real men always drive unless he is injured beyond the ability to drive, usually that mean he is almost dead. 
 
2.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual, no matter what the women insists, PAYS FOR THE DAMN DATE.
 
3.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual man always opens the door for a lady. Even for the ones that fit the term of a lady, only because they are female.
 
4.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual male deals with crap. Be it a flat tire, break-in into your home, or a natural disaster, real men always deal with the problems.
 
5.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual man eats red meat, and often times  he kills it himself.
 
6.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual man doesn't worry about living to be 90, because we know that it's not the length of ones life but the quality of the life we lived that matters.  If you're 90 years old and still smoking cigars and drinking, I salute you.
 
7.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual man does not use more hair or skin products than women, that's why women have several isles in the supermarket for their toiletries while men have 1/4 of an isle, and that's too much.  A real man's motto is KISS (keep it simple stupid)
 
8.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual man uses a barber named Bill to get a hair cut, not a hair stylist with a lisp named Rauel. 
 
9.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual man does not dress in clothes from Hot Topic when he's 30 years old
 
10.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual male should know how to properly kill stuff (or people) if need be. This falls under the "dealing with crap” portion of The Code. (see code#4)
 
11.) Retrosexuals or Neosexuals never watch a TV show with the word "Queer" in the title.
 
12.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual man does not let neighbors screw up rooms in his house on national TV just for free labor.
 
13.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual man should never give up his manliness for sex. Some is inevitable, but major re-invention of yourself will only lead to you becoming a metrosexual little pussy.  Inevitably it is never worth it in the long run, because no woman is worth losing your manhood over. Besides, she will eventually leave you for a real man that she could not change anyway.
 
14.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual man is not ever allowed to seek professional help for any major mental stress such as drug/alcohol addiction, death of your entire family in a freak wood chipper accident, favorite sports team being moved to a different city etc. You are not allowed to see a shrink because Daddy didn't pay you enough attention. Daddy was busy dealing with life in the real world. When you screwed up as a wayward teen, he just dealt with you like a real man does to his son.  So just Cowboy up, you pansy ass.
 
15.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual male will have at least one outfit in his wardrobe designed to conceal himself from prey.
 
16.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual knows how to tie a Windsor knot for the few times a year he has to wear a tie.
 
17.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual does not strip naked, get into a sweat lodge, and bang on drums to bond with other guys, because that's what queers do. However dressing in kilts, banging on drums around a campfire, and drinking heavily is just fine.
 
18.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual knows how to use a basic set of tools. If you can't hammer a damn nail, or drill a straight hole, practice in secret until you can or be rightfully ridiculed for the wuss you be.
 
19.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual's a-hole is an exit ramp on the road of life. Ladies, contrary to what Cosmo says, spontaneously sticking a finger back there is a good way to be launched off the bed (or if Hooters hot wings have been recently consumed, lose a finger). Make you a deal, we won't mess with yours unless you want us to, and you won't mess with ours period.
 
20.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual man will buy feminine hygiene products if he has to, but only under protest. This falls under unpleasant crap you have to just deal with. (see code #4)
 
21.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual man will always give up his seat on the bus/subway/etc to a lady, even if his leg is broken or he just finished a 12 hour overtime shift of loading cement bags at the local hardware store to pay for his next hunting trip.
 
22.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual does not order an apple martini at the bar. A Martini has gin and vermouth in it dammit. And maybe an olive. In fact, why not just get a beer and a shot of scotch?
 
23.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual doesn't get squeamish about having to DEAL with a pest animal, even if he has to kill it.
 
24.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual does NOT use unisex perfume. The brand of after shave his dad used is good enough for him, or any brand that does surveys which point out how women like real men.
 
25.) Retrosexual or Neosexuals build and fix stuff. If you can't change a light switch, install a ceiling fan, fix a broken toilet or build a tree house, learn how.
 
26.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual teaches his children how to deal with bullies in a way that doesn't involve "examining the other child's motivation for aggressiveness".
 
27.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual does not wear designer clothing (unless it is a really nice suit to impress a potential mate, then see code #9)
 
28.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual male knows what sex is he doesn't need a liberal. Hollywood, or any ask Alice column in the paper to define it for him.
 
29.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual man meets the young men his daughter is going to date at the door and lets him know that Daddy is the barrier method that will prevent the young man from attempting anything beyond a hand shake during the date. (if in doubt See 10 rules for Dating my Daughter).
 
30.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual man owns an adequate variety of tools to accomplish whatever his next task might be. He has command over all he owns and can readily describe his next likely tool purchase. A rolling toolbox of at least his own height is a manly minimum.
 
31.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual man is not to be reckoned with lightly. He possesses the ability to deal with it and if you happen to be “it” then you should watch your tone or be dealt with accordingly.
 
32.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual man does not take advantage of lesser individuals simply because he can, but if he should witness another attempting the same he’ll have little mercy on said bully.
 
33.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual man has complete disgust for the entirety of our liberal media who’s weak minded ploy to “protect” all of the world’s minorities leaves them no one they are allowed to castigate as a group except the white males of the world. Screw the media and all of the gay metrosexual weak, shallow, dimwitted, effeminate male actors getting rich by portraying strong retrosexual or neosexual men while living real lives where they claim that real women don't want said men.
 
34.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual man doesn’t care if you agree with him or not. His opinion does not change just to suit the ears of the local audience, or the woman he intends on dating or marrying.
 
35.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual man does not care to be bothered with the annoying nuances of being politically correct.  Screw the pansy leftists if they don’t like what I’m saying.
 
36.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual man is not ashamed of his body nor of the sounds and smells the might emanate from it. He doesn’t mind cleaning up or dressing nice if the occasion warrants, but he also understands the therapeutic value in a well rendered belch. In public or not.
 
37.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual man not only knows about guns and ammunition but also is a skilled marksman. Do not take him lightly, dying slowly is a lot more painful and he knows it.(see code #50)
 
38.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual man understands the vapid emasculating power of the city and spends significant effort to remove himself to the fresh air of the hills as frequently as possible.
 
39.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual man can master any vehicle that he happens to come across, be it on land, snow, water or air, 2 wheels, 3 wheels, 4 wheels, 18 wheels, or no wheels.
 
40.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual man does not add fancy chrome where it is not needed for essential metal protection. His vehicles are purpose driven and rarely show signs of “dressing up”. If he drives a 4WD truck or jeep then it is dirty on a routine basis. It also shows scars from being used for its built purpose. And he does not care about these scars except as a show of pride that the vehicle has earned its stripes. Also his vehicles all run on 100% of either diesel or gasoline.
 
41.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual man does not mind being alone. The company of others is pleasant but not required. He has no use for meaningless banter for the simple sake of conversation. Take your idle prattle elsewhere, unless of course it is needed to make our wives think we care what they are talking about.  Then the occasional grunt of yup uhuh and a nod will suffice.
 
42.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual man can start a fire with or without any assistance from matches, lighters or fuel.
 
43.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual man can tie knots. Steadfast knots. Different ones as required to suit his purpose. He also knows about the different properties of ropes and which are best suited for different applications.
 
44.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual man can use a knife. Any knife. And his knives are always sharp. His preferred pocket knife is the Swiss army knife but not the fancy ass version that contains 47 blades, a magnifying glass and two shades of lip gloss. One with a main blade, a saw blade, a can opener, a beer opener and a corkscrew will suffice. He can routinely use his knife to create things or to destroy things, all with equal aplomb.  If stranded on an island with no tools, within a year of existing on said island we will have turned the jungle into a paradise.
 
45.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual man can open his beer with a wide variety of tools, including his belt, and do so in less than 10 seconds.
 
46.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual man understands sports. Not all sports but all the essential sports, besides no one but leftist pansy's really give a crap about jai alai, curling, or women’s badminton.
 
47.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual man doesn’t mind getting dirty. A little dirt never hurt anyone. Only girls and whiny metrosexuals are paranoid about dirt. Men lived for thousands of years without washing their hands every fifteen minutes.
 
48.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual man is personally responsible for all aspects of his life and doesn’t seek to blame others for the wrongs and injustices in his life. He deals with them. (see code # 14)
 
49.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual man is in touch with his feelings and he doesn’t feel obliged to share them with some nosy female who wants him as her emotional companion.  Unless said woman has already said I do at the altar, and then it is only behind closed doors and she will never tell another soul he did.
 
50.) A Retrosexual or Neosexual knows that owning a gun is not a sign that you’re are riddled with fear, or are trying to make up for a small penis. Massages and sexual skills are the way retrosexual or neosexual men make up for small penises.   The gun has three purposes in life, the first purpose is that of a tool for survival like hammers, saws, drills, and fishing poles.  The second purpose is for sport so we can learn how to use said tool in time of need, and because guns are just damned fun to shoot.  Finally, third and most important purpose of a gun is to defend his life, his family, his liberty and his first amendment right to be politically incorrect while living the life of a retrosexual or neosexual man in America.

(My special thanks and gratitude to One Vike for allowing me to be a guest writer on his blog.)

Rambunctious Dogs

This is just too funny for commentary. Enjoy it for what it's.

Sorry Obama but Women Desire Real Men, Not Metrosexuals

by One Vike

For the last decade, American men have been inundated with the idea that women prefer men who are in touch with their feminine side, men who are not afraid to spend a little extra time in front of the mirror, and maybe even wear a little make up to highlight the features of their face. We are told that men like John Kerry and Barack Obama are what women really want. Men who are not only unashamed of their femininity, but men who will even go so far as to display such faith in their feminism in public as Obama has time and time again.
 

Well, please allow me to set the record straight, because it seems that Al Gore, John Kerry, and Barack Obama are really not the type men that turn the ladies on. I found this survey from a deodorant company that inherently, just makes sense to me. I had not heard of this survey before now, but I have read numerous reports in Australian and European papers about it. I'd link you to the survey itself, if only I could find it, but like many polls and surveys it has disappeared within a few months. As I stated, most of my facts about this survey have been gleaned from information I could attain from the many articles written about the results. I must admit that I'm delighted with the findings, for me they make total sense. My guess is that the MSM would rather the men of America continue believing that women desire the kind of feminine men that currently occupy the White House. However, the way companies advertise their products proves that the following results of this survey must be true.
 

In an independent study commissioned by Lynx deodorant, 2800 women from 14 countries ranging from the ages of 18-34 were asked what they like in men. It turns out that 80% of women would rather have a man who is capable of being "sensitive without losing his masculinity". Women, it turns out, are not much into the sensitive new-age guy. They want a man who can light their fires and put them out simultaneously, while not hogging the mirror. A clear 65% of the women polled in this survey said that seeing a man dolling himself up in front of a mirror is actually depressing to them. Woman want men to take care of themselves, but not to the extreme that the metrosexual male has taken it to so that the women are the ones waiting to go on the date.
 

So while Hollywood has attempted to sell us the idea that the women of the world want men who are more feminine, fact is, women want a man that is physically strong and sexually substantial. It would seem that women are tired of the boring metrosexual man who leads a frantic lifestyle while spending too much time on the internet. The woman of today prefers a man who will talk to them on the phone and ask them out on a date, instead of the insensitive heartless trivial text messaging of the metrosexual city dweller. The survey also shows that 72% of the women polled prefer a man who is confident, strong, and knows what he wants. Here that you moderate mugwumps?
 

What women really want is a man who has masculine qualities yet still understands the needs of modern-day women. It seems that women are beginning to complain about men who are feminine, and instead, are beginning to choose partners with a more masculine image. They actually like the cowboy type of men, hello George Bush, goodbye Obama. Also, unlike the mantra you here from the feminists and Hollywood, women do not want to erase the differences that distinguish them from the masculine male. Women want to get back to the good old days when men treated women like ladies. So feel free to open door and pull back the chair for your lady gentleman, because that is what they truly want.
 

The survey also suggests that women are more attracted to men who are simply stronger both physically and sexually then they are. Believe it or not, 85% of the women surveyed said that they would be easily tempted with a passionate kiss of a strong man, and that they admired a man's straight-forwardness about his intentions. It turns out that women of today are just like our mothers and grandmothers were, they believe a man is supposed to take the initiative, and be what God made men to be.
 

So men, if you love your woman, and you want her to know it, then grab her during a moment of passion and give her a kiss to let her know how you feel about her. Because quite frankly, the way I see it, the way real men were portrayed in the old movies is what today's woman truly desires.

Picking and a Grinning

I received this in an email from my Uncle. I really don't know who's children these are, but considering I have hundreds of relatives around America that I have never met, I will not even attempt to guess who's children they are. I did ask who they are, but he and his wife are somewhere over the Atlantic on their way to France right now. If I could have played a guitar this good at that age, I do think my occupation would have been much different then it is today. These boys are good, considering their age. However, keep an eye on the youngest boy because he seems to do it with the kind of ease that you don't see very often.