My Thoughts on Western Christendom And Pain And Suffering.

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2011/09/28/iranian-pastor-faces-execution-for-refusing-to-recant-christian-faith/

At the end of the above article at fox news, a priest, Father Johnathan Morris asks "Will President Obama, and the free world, allow the United Nations to continue in its cowardly silence on this matter?"

Now whilst I am of course not happy that this is happening to this brother, I have to applaud his faith in the face of such persecution. But this Father Morris asking if President Obama going to allow the U.N. to continue it's silence, is just what I was talking about a couple of days ago.

This is an Iranian matter. The guy is a citizen of Iran and not of the United States. We as citizens of the U.S. should feel terrible that this is happening to this guy, and I hope we all do. I surely do. But this is not something for the United States government should even have an opinion on. Much less get involved in. If Christians all over the globe, including in the U.S. want to stand up and cry out for this brother then that is fine. That is how it should be. But do not cry out in protest. Cry out that this brother having lived his life for his God is no willing to make the ultimate sacrifice his God. Martyrdom.

The church always reels against persecution against itself. Why do we fight against the world? Didn't Christ say that we would be persecuted for his sake? This brother in Iran isn't saying that it is his right to practice how he wants. In fact according to Iranian law he is not guilty of any thing. But he is taking it. The important thing to him is that he not renounce his faith because he knows where he is going and what his reward is. He is a true Christian in word and practice. He has to be. He lives in constant persecution. Real persecution. Not the silly stuff that the American Church cries over. There is not one instance in the new testament, with the exception on Peter cutting off the ear of one of the soldiers sent to arrest the Christ, where any of the apostles or early Christians fought physically or verbally back against the State. They gave defense of their faith, and why they believed what they believed. And every single one of them were willing to go to their deaths for the sake of the message of Christ.

And there is what happens here in America: In America if the Christian sees or hears something even slightly offensive the Christian goes on a wild tangent and complains to the media and to their congressman, or they publicly boycott and so on. Why do we fight so against the world? We will never win that battle. God will win it in the end but we humans will not win it in the here and now. Adult led prayer was taken out of public schools. So what. If not being able to pray in a public school is detrimental to your spiritual faith then you need to check yourself. Then you say, "well it's my constitutional right according to the First Amendment to evoke my freedom of speech." Do any of you really think God gives one hoot for the U.S. Constitution? Really? I think so many American Christians are so full of them selves as they think being American and Christian are practically the same thing. I mean to say that they thing that true Americans follow "traditional Christian values." Well phooey on you if that is what you think.

The point I am making is that we think God is on America's side. I don't know where we ever got that Idea but there is nothing to support it. Just because a bunch of people living in the U.S. call themselves "Christians" certainly doesn't mean anything of the sort. Let me say right now that there is no such thing as a Christian Nation. At least not one with borders. Actually that is just another way of saying the "Church." America is not a Christian nation. It just isn't. Just because we have mega churches and we have all this influence in Washington means absolutely nothing to God. Christians having influence over their government is no different than Muslims having influence over their respective governments in the middle east. Sure our ideologies are different but we both want the same thing out of our governments. To make sure they enforce rules to so that our faith and sensibilities aren't offended.

And why do get offended by things of the world. They are of the world. They are supposed to be offensive. Just turn your head and keep on walking. Be offended by the offenses of the church instead. That is where we Christians need to work. We need to fix our own house first before we try and fix the world. And believe me there is a lot wrong in the Christian house. You know "remove the plank from your own eye," and all that. The same thing goes with American foreign policy. Why on earth are we helping the world when our country is teetering on the brink of chaos. It just boggles the mind. People say, "well we need to make sure that American interests are being taken care of abroad." Those people are military interests. And no....we don't. Any way I digress...

So here is my main point in all of this. These are the people who do not offend me when it comes to my faith: Governments, homosexuals, murderers, abortionist, women who get abortions, rapists, democrats, Barak Obama, Hillary Clinton, Lindsay Lohan, Transvestites, Muslims, the Women's NBA, Hugo Chavez, Communists, socialists, mimes, and etc...

Get over your selves if you are offended by any of these people or entities. It doesn't matter. The government can sensor your faith and people can burn bibles and so on. But there is no need to be offended. The bible is a book. That same book says that the word of God is written on your heart. This is not Iran, or Saudi Arabia. In those places you will be thrown in jail for being a Christian. And there is a very good chance that you willbe executed. And you might say "well if we do not do something about it now, then that is what will eventually happen in America." Then let it happen! It is foretold in the bible. This Brother in Iran isn't fighting that his faith be recognized or for his constitutional rights. He is willing to go Happily into Gods eternal embrace. So should we all be if we were truly reliant upon him.

I think we in western societies are just scared to death to have that much faith in God. Because we are so pampered here, even the poorest of us, that the thought of having to actually give up everything for God, even our lives to the the possibility of imprisonment, torture, and death, is just totally outside of what is possible in the western Christian mind. So we fight against it. We prolong the inevitable out come that Jesus himself said would happen.

Now I am not a perfect Christian by any means. Boy do I have my hang-ups. But I know who I want to be and what I want to be and I fight with my self every day to get there. And that fight has nothing to do with society, with the government, with the world, with democrats or republicans, or congressmen, senators or presidents. The fight is with my flesh. It's my spirit and God against my flesh. That is where the real battle lies for me. It is so for all of us. We go through such great lengths to avoid pain when we must go through pain, acknowledge our pain, and embrace our pain in order to be healed. We do not have to suffer. Pain does not equal suffering. Suffering only comes when we fight against feeling any sort of pain. Then we suffer because we can not get to where God truly wants us to be. Because we are complacent, seeking after riches and the things of the world we suffer. Because we build lavish homes for our selves and work so hard for all the things we want we suffer. If only we worked for the things we needed. Then there would be less suffering because there would be less greed.

Pain is not suffering. Pain is cleansing. Suffering is the absence of having gone through pain in order to heal those wounds we didn't even know we had. I am not speaking of purposefully inflicting physical pain on ones self. Rather I speak of not avoiding the pain that comes to us naturally through just living in every day life.

Even those things that we think are good do cause pain. Here is an example. We live in a society of modern wonders. Medical wonders, technological wonders and so on. There used to be a thing called survival of the fittest. This applied mainly to human beings and other animals but in the last few hundred years it also applies to business'. Let's first talk about the people aspect. There was once a time when the average life span of a person through adulthood was about 45 - 60 years. This was true even as recently as the 1850's - the 1930's. The mortality rate of newborns as well as mothers delivering said newborns was much higher as well. No we have modern advances in medicine and therefore people are living longer and babies and their mothers are living through and well after birth. This is seemingly a good thing and it is. It is a great thing indeed. Now because of these modern wonders in medicine, the direct, but unintended result is that certain areas of the world is over populated. I would go so far as to say that even though there is still loads and loads of land that is not settled, the world it self is over populated. The Earth was never meant to hold this many people. But we are all here. So there for we must suffer for the sake of our brothers lives. Here is how this problem creates suffering in the West. There are loads of people living in the West. It is indeed over populated. Even so we could all have what we need, if that were all we ever worked for. But unfortunately the amount of people wanting their wants (greed) met far out weighs those of us that just want our needs met. This creates suffering. It is the greedy who suffer because their need for all that they can get their hands on will never be satisfied. Those who need suffer because they have to go to the greedy to meet their needs.

Ghandi said "the Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed.” And this is true even today. The modern American Christian calls their greed "Gods Blessing." The modern Christian in the Congo would say that a bite to eat every couple of days "Gods blessing." You tell me who is right.

Now lets look at businesses. Specifically big corporations like banks for instance. It used to be that if a business looked like it was going to go under the owner of the business would either borrow what he needed from a lender or a friend, acquaintance, or family member with a lot of money and the heart to want to help. Of course there may be a reasonable, or unreasonable amount of interest attached to the loan. And if they got the help that they needed then their business was saved for a little while longer. If they couldn't get what they needed to keep their business afloat then they went under, or filed for bankruptcy. This is still true today, if only for small businesses. But big banks and other corporations have it good. Corporations like bank of America and General Motors. These days if the likes of these companies are in trouble then they run to the government for a bailout. The fed just prints up money out of nowhere and says here ya go. Safe! No bankruptcy. They are just to big for us to let them fail. 120 years ago they would have done just that. Failed. But today the big guys make it but not by any real merit of their own. And the little businesses have to just succumb to the Walmarts of the world.

And therefore there is suffering. Because the big cats at the top do not give a damn for the lives of the peasants. So we unwittingly live to serve them because they tell us we need them and we fall inline and obey. This is suffering. Pain would be removing ourselves from indebting ourselves to these folks and doing what we can for ourselves with out their help. Pain is working for one another to help each other succeed. Pain is helping our brethren no matter what. In this way pain creates freedom. Freedom from the government and freedom from the corporations. Freedom from all those who would see us crushed under their yolk of servitude. For we have been in service to the entities for along time now. And it is time that it end.

We should want to be in service to one another as equals and to God as our head.

That is all. Please keep the Brother Youcef Nadarkhani of Iran in your prayers. Ask that God give him strength to meet Gods will what ever it may be. If it that he is to be freed to live his life with his family and preach the gospel, then so be it. If it is that he should die for his faith then so be it. The important thing is the he trust God and we trust God for him.

Man Sues White Castle Because of He Doesn't WANT to Lose Weight.

So first you must read this article http://tinyurl.com/44dlp26, and then read below...

My favourite part of this article is at the end..."The Americans with Disabilities Act is "applicable -- not only to me, but to pregnant women and to handicapped people," according to Kessman, who is suing for bigger chairs and unspecified damages. "I just want to sit down like a normal person."

I love the fact that this guy totally ignores the fact that the reason he is a fatty because he eats at places like White Castle. He says that the "Americans With Disabilities Act" applies to him, and maybe it does, but it really really shouldn't. This is because if you choose to eat in places like White Castle then you will most likely always be a fatty. End of story.

Readers, please do not take offense to my use of the word "fatty," because I don't mean it against all fat people. Only the ones like this guy who would rather stay fat, and blame the fact

that he is fat on other people. OR think that because he is fat then he should be catered to or have "special privileges." SCREW YOU FAT MAN! And Instead of losing weight, wants other people to spend thousands of dollars fixing their establishment so this Fatty McFatass can go there and stuff his gourd with an abundance of greasy little squares of beef covered in cheese with a side of fries and a coke. Bollocks.

So let me back up a bit to the last statement in the article..."I just want to sit down like a normal person."

THEN LOSE THE FUCKING WEIGHT YOU FUCKING GIT!

He want's other people to work to make him feel normal. If I were the restaurant owner, I tell this guy to fuck right off out of my shop, and come back round again when he can either; 1. once again see and touch his toes, 2. See his willy and 3. Walk past a bucket of hamburgers marinating in animal lard without jizzing his trousers with joy.

A bit harsh? I don't care. Again if you are an over weight person who is working to no longer be fat, and are working to get to a healthy weight, whilst eating unprocessed foods and more greens and the like, then please take no offense to this.

My comments here are specifically aimed at this guy and all the fat people like him who want us to cater to them because they choose to be the way they are. People with glandular problems excepted of course.

Now I say this. I am a little over weight my self. I am 5'5 and some change and I weigh 191 lbs.

Luckily I am not as much of a lardo as I should be considering the way usually eat.

I looked at 3 different sites concerning height to weight ratio and all of them say that my optimal weight is around 145lbs and the most I should weigh is around 160lbs.

***So I have some work to do. And I am. Emily and I are juicing and eating more salads. Though it is a process and we do get some very unhealthy stuff every now and again. My goal is to completely change my dietary lifestyle by the end of the year. I hope to be of animal product altogether.***

So I am about 46 pounds over weight. Guess what...it's my fault. I eat like shit (though I am trying to fix that) and I feel bad for it every time I shove something deep fried and slather in mayo down my throat. But if I get to be 295 pounds because I eat crap, and I don't want to get out and take a freaking walk once a day then it's my bloody fault. I am not going to go about suing everyone because they are making it tough for me to be a fat ass.

If I go into a restaurant and I can not fit into a booth, or on a chair then I realize that this is MY PROBLEM and not the restaurants. I am the fatty and it is something I have to deal with. It would be ME who would have to to take action and lose some weight.

Of course I am speaking hypothetically as I have no problem getting in and out of booths in restaurants.

That's my rant for the day. Now I am off to drink the vegetables that my girl friend juiced last night. Quite good actually. You should all give juicing a try.

The sister sangin duo The Double Clicks...

This is for all us geeks out in the world. All types!

A neat video from a local band here in Portland. Meet The Double Clicks. This song is called "This Fantasy World."

...at the end of a 32 year old rope.

I have a problem. I have never personally sought help for this problem. That is, I mean to say, that I have ever sought professional psychological help for this very psychological problem. I believe that I have ADD. And although I was tested as a five or six or seven year old, I have never been tested as and adult. During the course of my adult as well as my young adult life, I don't think I really wanted to admit that I have ever really had a problem. Perhaps this is why I have refused to seek help or medication.

When I was a kid and my mom got me prescribed for ADD meds, I would always refuse to take

them. In my adult life I have always said that I didn't want to get on ADD meds because I was

scared of possibly getting addicted. Apparently I have lying to my self. What it really boils down to is, I never really wanted to be bothered with the mundane and tedious task of always having to remember to get up from what ever it is I am doing, including just staring at a wall for an hour lost in what ever fantasy, and exert the energy of taking some dumb pill.

I will admit that I do not know for sure if I have ADD. Or if it is a real problem in my life or maybe I really am just that lazy, uncaring, and that selfish. None of which I ever wanted to be and all of which I so desperately want to over come. I don't know if I really have it because I have never been diagnosed as an adult. So I need to go see a specialist. Can't afford it as I currently have no insurance. Bummer.

What ever really is going on inside my head, it is affecting, and has been affecting my life in every facet, including my job(s), my relationship with friends and other people, and most importantly my girl friend.

I need some kind of help. I need help now. my problem is that I have to wait till my insurance kicks in at work, when I NEED HELP NOW! It's become unbearable living in a constant state of mental flux and depression because I can't complete the most simple task. Discipline. I long for

mental discipline.

I need help.

The Medical Industry: The 3rd Leading Cause of Death in America.

I recently over heard a conversation about some ones grandpaw dying in the hospital due to complications with the medicine he was being given. I kinda slid in to the conversation as, I do, and asked if it was an allergic reaction, or an overdose...it was neither. Apparently it was just to much of the bad stuff that's in our meds passed through the old mans liver and he was unable to process it all out.

So I wondered how many people actually died in hospitals every year. What I found out astonished me. According to The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Vol 284, the 3rd leading cause of death in the United States is...wait for it, wait for it....ARE HOSPITALS!!! Who knew? I didn't. So the 3rd major causes of death in America are medical related, (this does not include overdoses) and stands at 225,000 deaths a year.
That's ranks med. deaths only behind Heart Disease at 616,067 DPR, and cancer at 562,875 DPR. This also ranks it above Chronic lower respiratory diseases at 127,924 DPR, and Accidents (unintentional injuries) at 123,706.

I mean can you believe this? So the liberals want to get all this free health care for every one, which by the way IS NOT a constitutional right, and the conservatives want to go a different way. Which is all fine. But all this is asking "how do we pay for health care"? It's a bit short sighted and putting the "forest before the trees," if you ask me. The problem is most people don't take enough preventative measures in their personal lives to just stay healthy and out of the hospitals altogether. It is possible people.

So in addition to finding out how to make basic healthcare affordable to all, I think that it's obvious, and blindingly so, that we need a total overhaul of the way hospitals and doctors work in general. These days
people are just a number in a bed when they are forced to check in to a hospital. Not all doctors view their patients in this way so don't get me wrong. In fact I recently had to spend the night in the hospital a few months back, because of a nasty dog bite that got infected and my docs were great guys. At least they acted like they cared.

So no, I am not saying that every doc out there are with out hearts. But any one of them that got into the business of medicine because they thought it would be a good way to make a lot of money and not because they wanted to help people and be able to make a decent enough living doing it, well I believe that you are a bad doctor and you should find a different profession. Because it's the docs like you that are the scourge of the medical industry. YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM.

So to end this, I believe folks, that you should get angry that the 3rd leading cause of death in america, ARE THE PLACES WHO ARE SUPPOSED TO HEAL US AND MAKE US BETTER!

So yeah. I just thought I would put that out there. It surprised me. Figured it would surprise you as well.

Cheers.

Is Usury A Sin?

This is post is in response to a discussion I am having with my friend David Cougle on facebok.

http://tinyurl.com/FacebookJohnBSmith3

There should never be a reason that a Believer should have to suffer what this guy (Terry Hoskins ref: http://tinyurl.com/yavv9jg) did because we should do our best to help one another out. I am of course not saying that we should just lend out thousands of dollars and not expect it to be paid back.

Nor should people think that hey can just sit around and not work because they believe they will be taken care of by those in the church.

And no Christian should ever charge a brother or a sister interest on a loan of any sort. This is why a Christian should not really own a bank, not in the worldly sense of banks at least, because Holy Scripture is wholly against charging interest. Which is a sin in God's eyes.

The man in that article did sin in God's eyes...and according to Ezekiel 18:12 God is against him. For it says that the any one "who steals from debtors by refusing to let them redeem what they have given in pledge," is a sinful man. But in the same passage it says that those who "oppresses the poor and helpless," and and "lends money at interest (NASB)," is also committing sin.

So my point is this. We as followers of Him should never ever go to the world for loans and such. Because in doing so we put our selves in subjugation to the worldly banks and money lenders. This is against Holy Scripture and is not what God would have us do. In other words the monetary crisis that is going on in this country right now with people bailing on loans, declaring bankruptcy and so on should not exist in the church.

The brethren who have been given much by God, have a duty to help in such times. But only towards the brethren who have need. I do not speak of people outside the fold. And again those who do provide the loans to the brethren should be paid back. But they should not charge one cent of interest.

And those brethren who do own banks and believe that they are "blessing" those with in the church with low interest rates are fooling them selves. Because God is against usury toward his Children. Funny thing is He isn't against usury towards those who aren't his children. Go figure. But those who aren't his children are subjugated to the world and Not him. The children of God have supposedly been freed from the world of sin so we should not be subjugated to any thing or any one but Him.

Now it is a sin to invest money in the worldly system and gain an interest? No. Because in Matthew 25:27 (the end of the parable of the talents) the master is chastising his slave for not investing what he gave him charge of. He said in response to the servant burying the money, "27 'Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest."

Now the parable is not about money or physical things at all. Rather it is about preaching that which was provided to us by Jesus before he went up to heaven and that thing is His Gospel. Him. We preach Him. And in doing so, people are saved and they preach to others and others are saved. They are the interest gained. The "bankers" are the "hearts" of those we preach to, and when we "plant the seeds" of the Gospel (the talents) in their hearts, and some one else perhaps waters those seeds, then Christ comes along and gives the growth and "reaps" His harvest (reaping where he has not sown, as in the parable.)

But that scripture just because it is there, because it was going along with the monetary and business culture of the day, does support us investing in the

worldly banking system, to gain interest back on what we have put in. But it most certainly does not support, the Children of God being in debt to the worldly banking and loan system.

And it is a travesty that Christians who might need a loan to buy a house or a justifiable mode of transportation to get to work, or what ever has to go to the world to get it. Because in doing so it creates a system of slavery to a worldly institution. To be enslaved to any one but God is a sin. So in not being more willing to help out our brethren, we cause them to sin because they subject them selves to some one else other than God. You can not serve two masters right? Matthew 6:24 says, "No one can serve two masters ; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other." And yes it goes on to say that "you cannot serve God and wealth." Yes it's talking about being devoted to money. But this does not negate the fact that when we have a mortgage that the bank literally owns us. So there for they become our masters. This is a slight against God.

For heaven sake, we are supposed to be set apart firstly to God and then also toward each other. People in worldly family's stab one another in the back and turn their backs on one another, and deceive one another to get what they want. It should not be so in the church.

In God's family we give where there is need, and we bless one another and are ready to help whenever and where ever we can.

Yes I agree with you. He should not have done what he did. But if he is of the world, so it doesn't matter. The banking crisis should not be effecting those of us who with in the church who are able to work hard. Because according to the Scriptures we, as God's children, are supposed to stick together and help one another in times of crisis. And in so doing we are a beacon, a light to the world.

We should be showing THEM how it's done. How are we supposed to sustain one another with greed and avarice. We give, we bless, we help each other in every way possible unto God, and we get back in return.

We in America are so against socialism it's not even funny. And we should be against any government imposing such a thing on the people. Especially one as dishonest and untrustworthy as ours.

But Christianity began as a completely socialistic movement. I site Acts 2:44-47 " And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common ; 45 and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. 46 Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved. " (NASB).

See? The epitome of socialism. They were selling "their property and possessions and were sharing them with all." And they were "taking meals together." Do you see? It's a completely socially communal spirit they have. In the government system this sort of thing is flawed. But with in the church it should be implemented and valued.

I know that you have the "name it, claim it," people that you and I both know very well, who believe that it's God's will for them to be as wealthy as possible and to own a lot of expensive stuff and so on. But you and I both know that this is false. Yes there are those to whom God will give increase in this area. Money and land and so on. And so it is their duty to help the brothers, and the sisters, and the families of the Faith who are having a hard time it it. God gave them increase, not so that they can live lavishly, but so they can help keep their brethren out of poverty.

And one would argue, "well if they were working they wouldn't be in poverty." That argument is not valid. There are plenty of those who are of the faith of Yeshua who are in poverty. Poverty of course is relative from place to place. American poverty is not as bad as that in Haiti or in Africa and so on. In fact I would go sa far to say that the poor in America are doing okay compared to those in these other countries.

What with all of our social systems in place, it's hard to be that poor in america. By "that poor" I of course refer to the the fact that our poor isn't that poor compared to the poor in haiti and so on.

Christians should not be going to the government for hand outs. In a perfect Christian Church (I refer to the world church, and not a specific congregation) we would be going to our more able brothers for help. But because there are so few brothers willing to help out his brothers and sisters in Christ, a super majority poor, or for a short time down and out Christians are forced to go to the secular government. This to is a slight against God. For he wants us to depend on one another and so therefore we depend on Him.

Jesus gave his life for us. But american Christians a lot of times elevate the constitution above Jesus’ sacrifice to say that what’s mine is mine and no one is getting it. I was wrong to praise that man for tearing down his house. Because in doing so I endorsed an un-Christ like action. Jesus commanded us in Matthew 5:39-42...”39 "But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40 "If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. 41 "Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. 42 "Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.

This is that way he should have acted if he had Jesus’ Spirit. And in this way all of those who belong to God should act.

We get to caught up in the political things of this country. We Christians think that if we get the right person in office then he or she is going to make a world of difference. And we fool our selves. Romans 13 says that it is God who put the ruling authorities in place. Every one from Ceasar, to Hitler, Bush and Barak Obama have been placed there by God. Don’t argue with me about it. Paul stated it plainly...1 Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God ; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. 3 For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority ? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same ; 4 for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid ; for it does not bear the sword for nothing ; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. 5 Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience' sake. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. 7 Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom ; fear to whom fear ; honor to whom honor. ---Romans 13:1-7 (NASB)

We needn’t so much worry about the state and affairs of the government because God places whom He wants where he needs them. Is that to say that they will be men of God? No, of course not. But God has his reasons and His ways are higher than ours. (Isaiah 55:8-9)

So what then? Do we just allow the government and liberals to trample our faith? No. We don’t. But until Christians unify, which we aren’t, not really, then nothing is going to change. Sure we get up on our soap boxes in protest and shout for our rights. But we have no clear leader ship. And for some reason mainstream evangelical Christian folk are scared to have some sort of central leadership. I mean yeah the Southern Baptist have the S.B.C. and the methodist have their president and so on.

But unless we here in America have clear cut God anointed leadership that we submit our selves to then we will never go any where and the world will over take us. We just need some one who can unite us all and speak for us on the national level. And thought there are many who have a national presence, there is no one who can be God’s Herald for the Christian people of America. But until we drop our sectarian silliness, also a slight against God, and until we are united in God, then nothing will will change for the better. We can elect whom ever and depose whom ever but it will all...be...for...nothing. Period.

Okay, so I am a 30 year old guy still working in the restaurant industry. I have been at this occupation now for nearly 17 years. And every day I have to do this job, I realize more and more that most folk who come in to our eateries pretty much don't know how to act.

For instance, when a group of 8 or more people are going out to eat and you know that one person isn't going to pay for the entire meal, you should not ask the waiter for separate checks....ever. What you must realize is, that the person serving you your food is not waiting on just you, but that they also have other guests at 2 or 3 other tables that also need their attention. So when said waiter has to take time to separate your order into 4 or more checks that really slows them down. So please do the considerate thing. When you are putting a large party for dinner together, or even if it's "hey let's all go to 'Name of Your Local Dining Place,' and have some grub," every one should decide on one person to pay with a credit card, and EVERYONE ELSE should bring cash to give to that person. It's isn't hard to just pop by the ATM for a few quid. Or just always have a bit of cash on you just incase you find your self in a mass dining situation.

This is the right thing to do.

T.S.

Look back here every week for discussion on restaurant do's ad don'ts and tips on common decency and etiquette for when you go out and eat.