#WritingFromIsolationWard
Category: Politics
On September 22nd, 2008 I sent this to the local Liberal Candidate:
Good Day Ms. Gauthier,
I live in your riding and would like more information about your stance on Personal Freedom, Government Transparency, Nuclear Power, Culture and Entertainment, Unions and International Trade.
Thanks for your time,
Kevin Wardrop.
Straight forward and simple, I was looking for responses from the three Candidates in my riding who most closely resembeled my political leanings. The Candidates from the Green and NDP parties replied. Daniel O’Neail’s Green Party most closely resembles the majority of my Political Leanings (save their enviornmental stance, which I do not agree with) but Irene Mathyssen presented a more comprehensive and nuanced stance for the NDP. The Liberal Candidate has yet to reply and with just a few short days left, they have made my decision all the easier, as my arbitrary timer has lapsed and I won’t vote Liberal now, simply over a local matter. Stephan Dion’s “Democrat Light” approach to the Tories notwithstanding.
It falls to Jack Layton and Elizabeth May now to form an effective opposition to the Tories. I’ll be watching.
In conclusion, it is my opinion that we have between 75 and 120 days before the Middle East starts spinning out of control. If there was ever a time for fervent prayer, it is now. Prayer can change the course of history! The Bible says, “Seek righteousness, seek humility. … that you may be hid in the day of the Lord’s wrath.” “… the fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”
The believing prayers of tens of thousands of God’s people can change the hearts of the leaders of Russia and Iran. God can cause situations to arise which will save Israel. He is Almighty. With God all things are possible!
With that in mind, I urge you to fervently seek God’s intervention in the following areas:
- Pray that God’s mighty angels would surround and protect our nation in these perilous times;
- Pray for unity among the body of Christ as we intercede for our nation and our world;
- Pray that America’s leadership will seek godly wisdom as they face critical events in the weeks and months ahead;
- Pray for the Holy Spirit to sweep across the globe, preparing hearts to accept Jesus and enter God’s Kingdom before tragic events unfold;
- Pray for God to change the hearts of leaders in Russia, Iran, and other nations who wish to do harm to Israel.
Hopefully, our Lord will intervene and head off the disaster that seems to be approaching. Let us pray together. With God all things are possible!
http://www.patrobertson.com/pressreleases/PatRobertsonRegardingGeorgia.asp
Okay folks, here it is. The Pat Robertson Prayer Challenge, this is where the rubber meets the road on Christianity, Prayer and the Intercession of Faith.
As a Celebrant, you can say to the flock, “Pray for X or if you don’t U will happen” if X happens you can say “You Prayed well and have been rewarded” and if Y happens you can say “You didn’t show enough faith, next time you will pray harder or give more of yourself”. As long as X is easy “No Fire Demons come From the Sky” and Y is likely “Someone’s house will Burn Down” it means that the celebrant can effectively use statistics and basic common sense to look like a conduit for Gods words. When in all likelihood they are just an astute observer of statistics and human behavior.
The Prayer Challenge
Between today and January 1st, Pat Robertson says that the Middle East will erupt in chaos and a limited nuclear exchange may occur unless his followers pray for Russian and Iran to “back down” if they don’t he can say “See, your prayers saved Israel” and if they do he can say “You didn’t Pray hard enough” or if Barack Obama is elected President and they do he can say “It’s your fault for electing that man, this is your Punishment”
What about a Third outcome? What it American invades Iran and touches off a real war with Russia?
What if American forces step in among the Balkans?
What if Isreal bombs Iran?
Prayer against a massively negative outcome is easy, especially if it is unlikely. Praying that a comet won’t hit the world is easy, and likely to come true. Prayer that you won’t get wet on a rainy day is stupid, as you are going to get wet on a rainy day if you go out without rain gear on. So to is this prayer easy, it’s highly unlikely that either Iran or Russia would provoke a nuclear war “Just because” and let’s face it, if the rhetoric of our politicians was enough to provoke a real war, Iran would have bombed Isreal years ago.
If Prayer is REAL and the world is on the edge of massive nuclear war, then it is likely that it WILL happen, because as you know, America has fallen to the forces of evil already:
We have insulted God at the highest level of our government. Then, we say, “Why does this happen?” It is happening because God Almighty is lifting His protection from us.
Once that protection is gone, we are vulnerable because we are a free society.http://www.patrobertson.com/PressReleases/TerroristAttack.asp
Special Note: Yes, the title of this post is deliberately provocative. Sometimes I just like to poke the bear and see if it really is asleep or just lying in wait.
I was raised Catholic and questions of faith and religion truly do enthuse me; I enjoy the debate and the conflict that surrounds religion. I willingly get into conflicts with my friends and family over religion and hope that my views on the matter have evolved over time in response to new information and my own personal growth as a person. I also strongly believe that my brain wasn’t fully baked in place until my mid-twenties, and may still be cooling today.
“All of them”
I’m beginning to think that Sarah Palin might not be able to read; not at an adult level. It’s looking more and more like the McCain/Palin ticket might be more special that one might first understand.
And yes, she gets more precious when she is cornered. It’s amazing, this was not a compliment.
Updated: a transcript
COURIC: And when it comes to establishing your world view, I was curious, what newspapers and magazines did you regularly read before you were tapped for this — to stay informed and to understand the world?
PALIN: I’ve read most of them again with a great appreciation for the press, for the media —
COURIC: But what ones specifically? I’m curious.
PALIN: Um, all of them, any of them that have been in front of me over all these years.
COURIC: Can you name any of them?
PALIN: I have a vast variety of sources where we get our news.
In the past, we’ve been hard on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. In many cases, our criticism of the Ceeb’s left-wing editorial stances has resulted in run-ins on these pages with such senior corporate executives as former CBC News editor-in-chief Tony Burman. These dust-ups have provided spirited entertainment for readers, but they have also served a serious purpose: Canadians who disagree with the world-view of CBC editors and reporters should not be forced, through their tax dollars, to subsidize our public broadcaster’s unremitting attack on conservative ideas they hold dear.
No Byline Opinion Piece in the National Post
I’ve been appreciative in the past of the National Post’s online component, especially their prediliction for publishing a vastly more robust version of the facts in a given story. Their well-rounded coverage of stories have often allowed their readers a well-informed view of a given subejct. Bravo.
Then there is their right-wing editorial staff who don’t seem to have the intestinal fortitude to sign a byline on their opinion spots. Why?
I take responsibility for my opinion, why can’t the author of this fox-news snorting one? It’s all well-and-good to love the Americans and their right-wing politicians, but you should put your name on your work, right?
So, what can you learn from this?
- Only 10,794 people voted on a poll from a pundit that gets exposure on fox.
- Only 1,247 (12%) of her readers are b-tards of any stripe
- Only 1,436 (13%) are sensible people.
- 16% are pessimists.
- A full 59% of the sample are full on, in the tank (what a dumb expression) assholes.
These are the same people who refer to diplomacy as “weak”
They are the same people who refer to nuance as no-ancy.
They say nookular.
And they vote.
Dear Candidates: The Copyright Pledge – The NDP Response
Published by NiteMayr on October 5, 2008I sent this letter to all of the local Candidates:
The Irene Mathyssen Campaign Responds:
One can only admire a campaign that coordinates a response and adds a note about bandwidth throttling. Thank-you Shawn Lewis, I appreciate your (and your Candidate’s) time.
For more on the Pledge itself, I recommend visiting Michael Geist’s blog