THE ELECTION OF OBAMA COULD BE A CLEANSING EXPERIENCE . . . OR NOT
Tortured Account (IBD Editorial)
May 13, 2009Integrity: Release of the interrogation memos was intended to tarnish the Bush administration’s legacy of keeping America safe. Now, that political strategy is collapsing — and with it, Nancy Pelosi’s speakership.
http://www.ibdeditorials.com/IBDArticles.aspx?id=327020790328681
THE WISDOM OF THOMAS SOWELL
One of the many signs of the degeneration of our times is how many serious, even life-and-death, issues are approached as talking points in a game of verbal fencing. Nothing illustrates this more than the fatuous, and even childish, controversy about “torturing” captured terrorists.
It is easy to make talking points about how Churchill did not torture German prisoners, even while London was being bombed. There was a very good reason for that: They were ordinary prisoners of war who were covered by the Geneva Convention and who didn’t know anything that would keep London from being bombed.
Whatever the verbal fencing over the meaning of the word “torture,” there is a fundamental difference between simply inflicting pain on innocent people for the sheer pleasure of it — which is what our terrorist enemies do — and getting life-saving information out of the terrorists by whatever means are necessary.
The left has long confused physical parallels with moral parallels. But when a criminal shoots at a policeman and the policeman shoots back, physical equivalence is not moral equivalence. And what American intelligence agents have done to captured terrorists is not even physical equivalence.
If we have reached the point where we cannot be bothered to think beyond rhetoric or to make moral distinctions, then we have reached the point where our own survival in an increasingly dangerous world of nuclear proliferation can no longer be taken for granted.
http://www.ibdeditorials.com/IBDArticles.aspx?id=327018735406381
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Obama opposes detainee abuse photo release
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – In a reversal, President Barack Obama said on Wednesday he would fight the release of dozens of photographs showing the abuse of terrorism suspects, over concern the images could ignite a backlash against U.S. troops.
[And why wasn't the President concerned about our troops when it came to releasing the interrogation memos?]
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1 | Tagged: Bush administration, CIA memos, Justice Department, top secret intelligence released, torture, waterboarding | 
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Posted by Allan Erickson
Christians tortured for singing carols
May 13, 2009
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1 | Tagged: Muslim persecution of Christians | 
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Posted by Allan Erickson
God won’t answer desperate cries
May 13, 2009.
“People ain’t been readin’ their Bibles now.”
Barack Obama, June 2008
We have been readin’ our Bibles Mr. Obama. Here is an interesting passage from the Old Testament, recorded history from long ago bearing lessons for today:
1 Samuel 8
THE MESSAGE
4 Fed up, all the elders of Israel got together and confronted Samuel at Ramah.
5 They presented their case: “Look, you’re an old man, and your sons aren’t following in your footsteps. Here’s what we want you to do: Appoint a king to rule us, just like everybody else.”
6 When Samuel heard their demand – “Give us a king to rule us!” – he was crushed. How awful! Samuel prayed to God.
7 God answered Samuel, “Go ahead and do what they’re asking. They are not rejecting you. They’ve rejected me as their King.
8 From the day I brought them out of Egypt until this very day they’ve been behaving like this, leaving me for other gods. And now they’re doing it to you.
9 So let them have their own way. But warn them of what they’re in for. Tell them the way kings operate, just what they’re likely to get from a king.”
10 So Samuel told them, delivered God’s warning to the people who were asking him to give them a king.
11 He said, “This is the way the kind of king you’re talking about operates. He’ll take your sons and make soldiers of them – chariotry, cavalry, infantry,
12 regimented in battalions and squadrons. He’ll put some to forced labor on his farms, plowing and harvesting, and others to making either weapons of war or chariots in which he can ride in luxury.
13 He’ll put your daughters to work as beauticians and waitresses and cooks.
14 He’ll conscript your best fields, vineyards, and orchards and hand them over to his special friends.
15 He’ll tax your harvests and vintage to support his extensive bureaucracy.
16 Your prize workers and best animals he’ll take for his own use.
17 He’ll lay a tax on your flocks and you’ll end up no better than slaves.
18 The day will come when you will cry in desperation because of this king you so much want for yourselves. But don’t expect God to answer.”
19 But the people wouldn’t listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We will have a king to rule us!
20 Then we’ll be just like all the other nations. Our king will rule us and lead us and fight our battles.”
21 Samuel took in what they said and rehearsed it with God.
22 God told Samuel, “Do what they say. Make them a king.” Then Samuel dismissed the men of Israel: “Go home, each of you to your own city.”
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Saul became King of Israel, and did as God had said, even going so far as to attempt to kill David. In the end, Saul fell on his sword in battle.
[Let's not forget the Good News however. David became King, restoring the kingdom, and from his line came the Messiah. Amen.]
2 Peter: 1-22
Thx Jodi!
2 Comments | 
1 | Tagged: Bible, King, Obama, Samuel, Saul | 
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Posted by Allan Erickson
