Posts Made By: Doug Matulis

Rob Wiederrich said:

Everyone else working to become so. When all is said and done will we still stick together as Americans..UNITED?

david elosser said:

http://abcnews.go.com/International/libya-international-military-coalition-launch-assault-gadhafi-forces/story?id=13174246

MARCH 19, 2011
OBAMA: "Today we are part of a broad coalition. We are answering the calls of a threatened people. And we are acting in the interests of the United States and the world"...

MARCH 19, 2003
BUSH: "American and coalition forces are in the early stages of military operations to disarm Iraq, to free its people and to defend the world from grave danger"...

What goes around comes around.

David E

Robert Watters said:

Long Eared Owl playing "peek-a-boo" through the dense under growth. This is the best shot he allowed! :S



Robert

Lee Spain said:

We want nothing to do with silly Americans and their cameras.

Mel Maki said:

http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/watercooler/2011/mar/31/barack-obama-losing-84-billion-big-success/

Russ Carroll said:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704050204576219073867182108.html

"Surveys of college graduates are finding that more and more of our top minds want to work for the government. Why? Because in recent years only government agencies have been hiring, and because the offer of near lifetime security is highly valued in these times of economic turbulence. When 23-year-olds aren't willing to take career risks, we have a real problem on our hands. Sadly, we could end up with a generation of Americans who want to work at the Department of Motor Vehicles."

and

"Over the period 1970-2005, school spending per pupil, adjusted for inflation, doubled, while standardized achievement test scores were flat. Over roughly that same time period, public-school employment doubled per student, according to a study by researchers at the University of Washington. That is what economists call negative productivity."

Thomas Holst said:

After watching CNN this afternoon, I've learned that if Congress and the President don't reach a budget agreement by midnight Friday, April 8, the federal government will shut down.

If the Federal government shuts down, among other things, US Military Personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan will not be paid, or at least not on time. However, Congress will be paid and on time. Excuuuuuuuuse me?!!!

I am absolutely dumbfounded! I don't know what to say. My head is about to explode.

Robert Provin said:

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2011/04/13/are_political_views_hardwired.html


Robert

Russ Carroll said:

...and I don't mean that in the larger scheme of things, but here on these forums discussing spiritual things. I'm going into a 12-week cardio rehab and lifestyle change program and I really hope to use this time to re-connect with God and try and understand what activities I should be doing. This is a good time to step back and look at things like my participation here, which I enjoy for the most part.

One thing this is not is a ministry, which I had hoped it would be when I first entered this forum. I wanted to represent evangelical Christianity here in the hopes of softening some of the hard edges I saw in these forums. For the most part, I would say that I developed some hard edges along the way and didn't soften much of anything, This is no fault of my own or others, it's just human nature.

When you look at the pattern of human interactions that Jesus had with people for lessons learned, they fall into two categories: The first is responses to people that really didn't want His wisdom but asked cynical questions of Him to try and tear Him down. He ignored their actual questions and revealed deeper truths about man and God because He knew their hearts. I would have to say that most, if not all, of the debate here, at least from my perspective, fall into this category in the broadest of definition possible. When Clyde asks me questions, he is not really looking for knowledge as opposed to trying to impart knowledge. There is nothing wrong with that, but the fact is, his questions fall into this first category.

The second interaction that Jesus had with people were from people who genuinely wanted to be touched by the Master and sought Him out. Normally, this was motivated by a great need like having an incurable disease or a dying child. Jesus did not turn them away and met their immediate need; however, this was always accompanied by turning the focus back onto their greatest need, which is spiritual and specific to Jesus Himself as the Messiah. Only once in the entire time I've posted here have I sensed, again in the broadest possible definition, any real inquiry or sincere curiosity as it pertains to my own faith. I do the same thing, so I am not on my high-horse, but I would be deceiving myself if I characterized this forum differently. Interactions that matter, where true spiritual seeds can be planted, can only be arranged by God and happen without notice or coercion and can even go completely unnoticed. Helping meet another's need can be a great starting point for such an encounter.

In looking back to my pagan upbringing, one of the deepest seeds that I thing God put in my heart came from a cartoon. I remember feeling awe when I heard it and really didn't assess it at all. I am so grateful that Charles Shultz put himself out to have Linus explain the true meaning of Christmas to me as a child:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKk9rv2hUfA

Twenty or so years later, that seed grew to maturity and I became a Christian.

I realized the nature of this forum pretty early on but stayed anyway, in spite of leaving a few times. Why? For one thing, it's an important topic to me and I enjoy mental stimulation. I also like to understand the thinking of others on the topic. But aside from personal interest, I have and continue to get something extremely important here, and that is the training of what is and is not important in my own faith in regards to science. I have to coexist in both worlds, and my thinking has actually significantly changed here over time, not on substance but on essentials. Yo may not believe it, Clyde, but you have taught me many valuable lessons here that will be useful in God's ability to use me to advance His Kingdom if He sees fit to do so, so I thank you. I only wish it would be to your benefit.

When I was a fairly new Christian, I hired someone who was down on their luck and poured myself into him for months in the belief that he would see the light one day. I had to try and somewhat isolate him from his wife as she was an extremely immoral person and would hinder my work. After about 6 months, SHE was the one that became a Christian in spite of my best efforts to quarantine her. My best thinking still gets me into trouble.