GGI calls for volunteers, donations for Moore, OK tornado

Updated…

Gateway Grassroots has secured an open lot, two large trucks, and the blood, sweat, and tears of volunteers seeking to serve their brothers and sisters. GGI invites you in this initiative to gather and ship desperately needed items for the victims of Monday’s devastating EF5 tornado.

We will be staging the effort at Kirkwood Lowes, time and day TBA once structures are up in Moore to receive aid. Non-perishable items may be dropped off for donation. Non-perishables will not be accepted.

Items most requested:  Bottled water – Gatorade – Wipes – Diapers – Baby formula – Hand towels – Individually wrapped snacks – Work gloves

No clothing, please.

If you would like to make an immediate donation, per Dana Loesch:

Salvation Army: Text STORM to 80888 to donate $10 to the recovery and relief efforts

Red Cross: Text REDCROSS to 90999 for Redcross to give $10

ONLINE DONATIONS:

Mercury One is taking online donations and sending trucks

Moore Recovers

Items that you may purchase on location to donate: boxes – work gloves –  eye protection – face masks – hand trucks – hard hats – shop cloths (towels) – gift cards – bottled water – storage bins – food and water bowls for pets – shelving units – packing tape – markers for labeling

Also, if you care to join us and help collect and load items, and you happen to have a hand-truck or dolly, please bring it. It would be tremendously helpful.

Posted by Jen

Cultural Erosion and the *Legality* of Marriage

In a report issued yesterday by the New York Times, several *prominent* Republicans signed a legal brief in support of gay marriage. This includes four former Governors, two members of Congress, and several advisers to former President George W. Bush.

This move continues to shed light upon the fact that those on The Hill are completely out of touch with the American people. While the gay community has been manipulated by mainstream media in to a big hurrah as a victory for gay rights, they are ignoring the fact that this only further enslaves them. They are now caught in the snare that the heterosexual community has been subject to: a government mandate on the institution of marriage.

Last time I checked, marriage was not an illegal act, but a biblical concept. Lets take a look. From freedictionary:

li·cense
(lsns)

n.

1. a. Official or legal permission to do or own a specified thing. See Synonyms at permission.

b. A document, plate, or tag that is issued as proof of official or legal permission: a driver’s license.

2. Deviation from normal rules, practices, or methods in order to achieve a certain end or effect.

3. Latitude of action, especially in behavior or speech. See Synonyms at freedom.

4. a. Lack of due restraint; excessive freedom: “When liberty becomes license, dictatorship is near” (Will Durant).

b. Heedlessness for the precepts of proper behavior; licentiousness.

tr.v.li·censed, li·cens·ing, li·cens·es

1. To give or yield permission to or for.

2. To grant a license to or for; authorize. See Synonyms at authorize.

Permission. Since when does one need permission to do something which is protected by their religious freedom? Freedom. Freedom of what? The freedom to make your own choice…or is it the government’s job to issue approval? Authorize. Since when does the government hold authority over a biblical concept?

Let’s take a look at Merriam-Webster:

li·cense

noun \ˈlī-s^ən(t)s\

1 a: permission to act  b: freedom of action

2 a: a permission granted by competent authority to engage in a business or occupation or in an activity otherwise unlawful

b: a document, plate, or tag evidencing a license granted

c: a grant by the holder of a copyright or patent to another of any of the rights embodied in the copyright or patent short of an assignment of all rights

3 a: freedom that allows or is used with irresponsibility

b: disregard for standards of personal conduct :licentiousness

4 deviation from fact, form, or rule by an artist or writer for the sake of the effect gained

What? “An activity otherwise unlawful”? Yes, the power the government has impressed upon the church has deemed it illegal for anyone to marry, gay or straight, within a church without permission from the State to do what is otherwise unlawful, irresponsible, with  disregard for standards of personal conduct, and is a deviation from normal rules, practices, or methods. And there you have it, the act of marriage has now become subject to criminal activity unless a government official decides that it in your best interest to grant your request. Sounds like freedom, eh?

In 1999, while planning my wedding, we were specifically told by the priest that it was illegal for the church to perform the ceremonial rite of marriage. When pressed, he further responded that no church would perform such as it would jeopardize the church’s tax-exempt status. So, it seems their hands were tied as well.

This is where the government first really screwed the homosexual community, knowing at the time that churches would not perform weddings to those of the same-sex as it violated their belief system, bound churches pretty much by extortion. With the signing of this brief, it now looks as though the gay community is now bound too.

A little food for thought from my dear friend Scott Boston:

I don’t think the Government should tell Churches who to marry.

I also don’t think the Government should tell Churches who they shouldn’t marry.

If a church says that gay marriage is in violation with its beliefs and tenets of its faith then I have no problem with that church not performing that rite.

If a gay couple can find a church that wants to marry them, more power to them.

If you go to the justice of the peace, I think you should get a civil union no matter who you are since it is a civil and not a religious institution.

The reason that Government got involved in marriage was because progressives who believed in eugenics wanted to make sure that blacks and whites could not intermarry and dilute the white race.

Bingo.

Instead, both sides in Washington are now perpetuating more big-government by placing further restrictions on citizens. This is not a win for gay marriage, it is a further push toward slavery. We now have one more notch on the post of government control.

As the GOP continues to erode, so will society and American culture. From stixblog:

The slow decay of morality is the basis of the socialist movement.  It makes the people look to the State instead of Community and Religion for direction.

I do not wear my religion on my sleeve, but the total disregard for Religious Liberty is eroding, and is going into overtime with Obama.

Further, LiveFromTheCatacombs:

It was mentioned to me that in a lot of ways, violent revolution would be easier than the battle that we and our children are about to face in the next generation.

And Stacy Washington:

I just finished The Harbinger at book club. It’s a very interesting read about an ancient biblical prophecy that foretells our collapse.

This isn’t a fight that our children will fight.  It’s ramping up to befall America in just a few short years. Things will continue to get worse as organizations and institutions fall into disarray, the GOP is there now.

Turning back to God is the only answer.

With that said, this is precisely where America stands at this moment:

The question is, will we continue to slam the door, or will we finally look to see what is on the other side before it’s too late?

Meteor Impacts in Russia Injuring Over 1000

Amazing. The MSM focuses on an asteroid projected to completely miss Earth tonight, yet ignores an actual noteworthy event.
A meteor, without warning, entered the Earth’s atmosphere early this morning, crashing to the groud at 33,000 MPH in the Urals region, east of Moscow, Russia. Miraculously, only an estimated 1000 people have been initially reported as injured, 5 critically.

Only mother nature; captivating, spectacular, and horrifying all at once.

This meteor is said to be no part of the MSM’s ZOMG Apocalypse Now! asteroid, but merely coincidence in these two events occurring nearly simultaneously, according to Sky News.

A meteor streaks across the sky in central Russia causing loud explosions and injuring hundreds of people.

More than 500 people have been injured after a meteor strike in central Russia, the country’s interior ministry said.

Fragments of at least one meteorite – the weight of a double-decker bus – were seen falling from the sky in the Chelyabinsk region at around 9am local time, around 1,500km east of Moscow.

Russia’s Ministry of Emergencies said 524 people have been injured of which 82 are children. Two people are in intensive care while another 32 adults and 12 children are being treated in hospital.
Meteorite The meteor lit up the sky

Many were hurt by flying glass as windows were blown in. Witnesses described feeling a pressure wave and hearing explosions overhead as the object hurtled to earth.

The Russian Academy of Sciences estimates the meteor weighed about 10 tonnes and entered the Earth’s atmosphere at a speed of at least 33,000mph – 15 times the speed of a rifle bullet – and shattered up to 32 miles above ground.

Meteors typically cause sizeable sonic booms when they enter the atmosphere because they are travelling much faster than the speed of sound.
RUSSIA Meteorite 2 The meteorite weighed 10 tonnes

The defence ministry said it had identified a six metre crater near a lake in this region and has sent soldiers to the site of the impact.

The emergencies ministry said that 20,000 rescue workers had been dispatched to help the injured and locate those needing help.

Resident Anna Pinkus told Sky News she saw a bright light outside her window and then heard three explosions.
Meteor shower in Russia More than 500 people have been injured

“It was a very loud sound. After that our windows began to shatter and shiver so it was very terrifying. First we thought it was a plane crash.”

The local office of the National Emergencies Ministry said in a statement: “A meteorite disintegrated above the Urals (mountain range in central Russia), partially burning up in the lower atmosphere.
Man poses for a photograph after receiving treatment for injuries sustained from a shock wave that followed after object fell from the sky in the Urals region, in a hospital in Chelyabinsk Viktor was injured by a shock wave

“Fragments of the meteorite reached Earth, falling in sparsely populated areas in the Chelyabinsk region.”

Many drivers in Russia have video recorders fitted in their cars in case of accidents or disputes with traffic police. Footage from these uploaded to YouTube show the fireball crashing to the ground.

There were reports of traffic in the Urals city of Chelyabinsk grinding to a halt and people seeking shelter in buildings as the fireballs lit up the sky.

The emergencies ministry confirmed the mobile phone network was temporarily cut.

Schools have been closed for the day across the region after the impact blew out windows.

The Chelyabinsk region is Russia’s industrial heartland, home to many factories and other huge facilities that include a nuclear power plant and the Mayak atomic waste storage and treatment centre.

A spokesman for Rosatom, the Russian nuclear energy state corporation, said that its operations remained unaffected.

“All Rosatom enterprises located in the Urals region – including the Mayak complex – are working as normal,” said a Rosatom spokesman.

Introducing, the National Heathcare Registry

So, this is how it has all played out: We now have the planks in place for a National Healthcare Registry,enwrapped within President Obama’s announced 23 Executive Actions yesterday. A National Health Registry system via *gun control legislation*…who’da thunk it?

Is that so far-fetched? It isn’t.  In fact, I will argue, it has been the plan all along. Of course, his Obamacare plan was not to go into effect until his second term.  He held his cards…waiting. He waited for the beginning of his second term as POTUS to implement part two of his socialist plan to ensnare Americans into a much larger, much more intrusive, completely freedomless scenario.

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Obama knew there was no way he could ever sell a National Healthcare Registry to the people at face value. He knew that there had to be a knee-jerk reaction to a highly emotionally charged scenario first. He knew that this needed to be carefully calculated into his pre-inaugural schedule. What better way to gloss what is going on.

My comments aside (which, by the way do not include any assumption to suggest that Sandy Hook was some sort of conspiracy), take a deep look at the abusive and invasive (non)wording of Obama’s 23 planks…then decide for yourself is this truly is not the implementation needed for a National Healthcare Registry System under the guise of *safety* or *the greater good*.

I kid you not, last month I went to the doctor for an annual wellness visit. This visit, by the Grace of God, was covered by my husband’s corporate insurance. Upon making the appointment, I was told that I was required to register my medical history online into Digichart. I refused. Upon showing up at my appointment, I was told the doctor would not see me unless I registered online via an in-office laptop. Digichart is a device in which to set up anEHR, or Electronic Health Record. Long and short, it is a medical information gathering system in digital format that is integrated across the medical spectrum to include a full and comprehensive record in one place…to be shared universally.  An absolute invasion of privacy, regardless of HIPAA laws, and without accountability or consequence.

Unintended consequences

Per empirical research can lead to both intended and unintended consequences.^[

A 2008 Sentinel Event Alert from the U.S. Joint Commission, the organization that accredit American hospitals to provide healthcare services, states that “As health information technology (HIT) and ‘converging technologies’—the interrelationship between medical devices and HIT—are increasingly adopted by health care organizations, users must be mindful of the safety risks and preventable adverse events that these implementations can create or perpetuate. Technology-related adverse events can be associated with all components of a comprehensive technology system and may involve errors of either commission or omission. These unintended adverse events typically stem from human-machine interfaces or organization/system design.”  The Joint Commission cites as an example the United States Pharmacopeia MEDMARX database where of 176,409 medication error records for 2006, approximately 25 percent (43,372) involved some aspect of computer technology as at least one cause of the error.

The National Health Service (NHS) in the UK reports specific examples of potential and actual EHR-caused unintended consequences in their 2009 document on the management of clinical risk relating to the deployment and use of health software.

In a Feb. 2010 U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) memorandum, FDA notes EHR unintended consequences include EHR-related medical errors due to (1) errors of commission (EOC), (2) errors of omission or transmission (EOT), (3) errors in data analysis (EDA), and (4) incompatibility between multi-vendor software applications or systems (ISMA) and cites examples. In the memo FDA also notes the “absence of mandatory reporting enforcement of H-IT safety issues limits the numbers of medical device reports (MDRs) and impedes a more comprehensive understanding of the actual problems and implications.”

A 2010 Board Position Paper by the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) contains recommendations on EHR-related patient safety, transparency, ethics education for purchasers and users, adoption of best practices, and re-examination of regulation of electronic health applications. Beyond concrete issues such as conflicts of interest and privacy concerns, questions have been raised about the ways in which the physician-patient relationship would be affected by an electronic intermediary.

Privacy and confidentiality

In the United States in 2011 there were 380 major data breaches involving 500 or more patients’ records listed on the website kept by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights. So far, from the first wall postings in September 2009 through the latest on December 8, 2012, there have been 18,059,831 “individuals affected,” and even that massive number is an undercount of the breach problem. The civil rights office has not released the records of tens of thousands of breaches it has received under a federal reporting mandate on breaches affecting fewer than 500 patients per incident.

Governance, privacy and legal issues

Privacy concerns

In the United States, Great Britain, and Germany, the concept of a national centralized server model of healthcare data has been poorly received. Issues of privacy and security in such a model have been of concern.

Privacy concerns in healthcare apply to both paper and electronic records. According to the Los Angeles Times, roughly 150 people (from doctors and nurses to technicians and billing clerks) have access to at least part of a patient’s records during a hospitalization, and 600,000 payers, providers and other entities that handle providers’ billing data have some access also. Recent revelations of “secure” data breaches at centralized data repositories, in banking and other financial institutions, in the retail industry, and from government databases, have caused concern about storing electronic medical records in a central location. Records that are exchanged over the Internet are subject to the same security concerns as any other type of data transaction over the Internet.

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was passed in the US in 1996 to establish rules for access, authentications, storage and auditing, and transmittal of electronic medical records. This standard made restrictions for electronic records more stringent than those for paper records. However, there are concerns as to the adequacy of these standards.

Threats to health care information can be categorized under three headings:

• Human threats, such as employees or hackers

• Natural and environmental threats, such as earthquakes, hurricanes and fires.

• Technology failures, such as a system crashing

 

Wait! What? What about governmental intrusion? Most States already do background checks…so what in the world would be so far-reaching as to open familial documents to search for hereditary traits? This is so encouraging…let’s continue:

Within the private sector, many companies are moving forward in the development, establishment and implementation of medical record banks and health information exchange. By law, companies are required to follow all HIPAA standards and adopt the same information-handling practices that have been in effect for the federal government for years. This includes two ideas, standardized formatting of data electronically exchanged and federalization of security and privacy practices among the private sector.

Did you catch that? right at the end there. . .FEDERALIZATION. Yep, sure took a long time to get there. Of course, the whole point is to bury that part by exhaustively dry mumbo-jumbo.

Private companies have promised to have “stringent privacy policies and procedures.” If protection and security are not part of the systems developed, people will not trust the technology nor will they participate in it. So, the private sector know the importance of privacy and the security of the systems and continue to advance well ahead of the federal government with electronic health records.

Pinky-swear? Really? Our privacy is contingent upon the spit-handshake between a private corporation and the federal government…who could, incidentally that could be bought out at any time…including by the government.

Now, if you are still unsure yourself on this, with the above information in mind, read through Obama’s 23 Executive “Actions”, and decide for yourself:

The following is a list, provided by the  White House, of executive actions President Obama plans to take to address gun  violence.

1. Issue a Presidential Memorandum to require federal agencies to make  relevant data available to the federal background check system.

2. Address unnecessary legal barriers, particularly relating to the Health  Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, that may prevent states from  making information available to the background check system.

3. Improve incentives for states to share information with the background  check system.

4. Direct the Attorney General to review categories of individuals  prohibited from having a gun to make sure dangerous people are not slipping  through the cracks.

5. Propose rulemaking to give law enforcement the ability to run a full  background check on an individual before returning a seized gun.

6. Publish a letter from ATF to federally licensed gun dealers providing  guidance on how to run background checks for private sellers.

7. Launch a national safe and responsible gun ownership  campaign.

8. Review safety standards for gun locks and gun safes (Consumer Product  Safety Commission).

9. Issue a Presidential Memorandum to require federal law enforcement to  trace guns recovered in criminal investigations.

10. Release a DOJ report analyzing information on lost and stolen guns and  make it widely available to law enforcement.

11. Nominate an ATF director.

12. Provide law enforcement, first responders, and school officials with  proper training for active shooter situations.

13. Maximize enforcement efforts to prevent gun violence and prosecute gun  crime.

14. Issue a Presidential Memorandum directing the Centers for Disease  Control to research the causes and prevention of gun violence.

15. Direct the Attorney General to issue a report on the availability and  most effective use of new gun safety technologies and challenge the private  sector to develop innovative technologies.

16. Clarify that the Affordable Care Act does not prohibit doctors asking  their patients about guns in their homes.

17. Release a letter to health care providers clarifying that no federal  law prohibits them from reporting threats of violence to law enforcement  authorities.

18. Provide incentives for schools to hire school resource  officers.

19. Develop model emergency response plans for schools, houses of worship  and institutions of higher education.

20. Release a letter to state health officials clarifying the scope of  mental health services that Medicaid plans must cover.

21. Finalize regulations clarifying essential health benefits and parity  requirements within ACA exchanges.

22. Commit to finalizing mental health parity regulations.

23. Launch a national dialogue led by Secretaries Sebelius and Duncan on  mental health.

It’s okay. It’s a lot to chew on…take your time…

For the record, I refused to submit my private information in digital form. I informed the secretary that I was concerned that there was no guarantee that the company collecting the information would not be sold out, therefore, selling my personal, private health information.  SHe looked at me as though I had three heads, then responded with “The Doctor will see you now”.

Hobby Lobby Appreciation Day 1.5.2013

The largest Arts and Craft store in America, Hobby Lobby, has become the latest target of the socialist political agenda, and the witch-hunt of Christian corporations, organizations, and small business owners, perpetrated by the Mainstream Media.

Today supporters of the corporation and it’s owners religious freedoms flocked to the Hobby Lobby in Kirkwood, Missouri.

Hobby Lobby, a Christian-founded, Christian-based corporation, has decided to follow their faith in God, and the Lord’s Word, and refuse to offer potentially life-ending drugs as part of their employee insurance benefits package. In response to this decision, the Federal Government has launched an offensive against Hobby Lobby purely due to their religious beliefs.
David Greene, founder and CEO of Hobby Lobby has even informed that they will be fined a whopping $1.3million per day for refusing to comply with legislation that is in direct opposition to their religious beliefs. The federal government has exempted thousands of other corporations from this requirement due to financial concerns and financial burden. The government refuses, however, to exempt Hobby Lobby because of the unreported power-struggle of government’s quest to relinquish power over faith.
Below, find the letter released by Hobby Lobby CEO Green:

When my family and I started our company 40 years ago, we were working out of a garage on a $600 bank loan, assembling miniature picture frames. Our first retail store wasn’t much bigger than most people’s living rooms, but we had faith that we would succeed if we lived and worked according to God‘s word. From there, Hobby Lobby has become one of the nation’s largest arts and crafts retailers, with more than 500 locations in 41 states. Our children grew up into fine business leaders, and today we run Hobby Lobby together, as a family.

We’re Christians, and we run our business on Christian principles. I’ve always said that the first two goals of our business are (1) to run our business in harmony with God’s laws, and (2) to focus on people more than money. And that’s what we’ve tried to do. We close early so our employees can see their families at night. We keep our stores closed on Sundays, one of the week’s biggest shopping days, so that our workers and their families can enjoy a day of rest. We believe that it is by God’s grace that Hobby Lobby has endured, and he has blessed us and our employees. We’ve not only added jobs in a weak economy, we’ve raised wages for the past four years in a row. Our full-time employees start at 80% above minimum wage.

But now, our government threatens to change all of that. A new government health care mandate says that our family business MUST provide what I believe are abortion-causing drugs as part of our health insurance. Being Christians, we don’t pay for drugs that might cause abortions, which means that we don’t cover emergency contraception, the morning-after pill or the week-after pill. We believe doing so might end a life after the moment of conception, something that is contrary to our most important beliefs. It goes against the Biblical principles on which we have run this company since day one. If we refuse to comply, we could face $1.3 million PER DAY in government fines.

Our government threatens to fine job creators in a bad economy. Our government threatens to fine a company that’s raised wages four years running. Our government threatens to fine a family for running its business according to its beliefs. It’s not right. I know people will say we ought to follow the rules; that it’s the same for everybody. But that’s not true. The government has exempted thousands of companies from this mandate, for reasons of convenience or cost. But it won’t exempt them for reasons of religious belief.

So, Hobby Lobby – and my family – are forced to make a choice. With great reluctance, we filed a lawsuit today, represented by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, asking a federal court to stop this mandate before it hurts our business. We don’t like to go running into court, but we no longer have a choice. We believe people are more important than the bottom line and that honoring God is more important than turning a profit.

My family has lived the American dream. We want to continue growing our company and providing great jobs for thousands of employees, but the government is going to make that much more difficult. The government is forcing us to choose between following our faith and following the law. I say that’s a choice no American – and no American business – should have to make.

The government cannot force you to follow laws that go against your fundamental religious belief. They have exempted thousands of companies but will not except Christian organizations including the Catholic church.

Since you will not see this covered in any of the liberal media, pass this on to all your contacts.

Sincerely, David Green, CEO and Founder of Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.

Please share this letter on your blogs, and with all Christians,contacts, family, friends and fellow patriots!

A Very GGI Christmas

T’was the Night Before Christmas
Courtesy ThoughtsFromTheHighway:

We start with little Jen all nestled in bed with visions of Dierks Bentley dancing in her head. With the wind a blowing and the night so cold out. She has the Christmas spirit and will not bite a throat out. With dreams of no typos for which we do pardon. Big wishes she has for something for her garden.

Stacy can’t sleep as she listens so closely. Santa is coming she wants to see him mostly. She listens for sounds at the chimney or a turn of a knob in hopes it’s St Nick with anything Sponge Bob. Rest your head Stacy because tonight is the night all is well when you sleep on the right.

Little Scotty Boston doesn’t wish for a train, a race car, or even a magic bottle. He longs for Santa to bring him the works of the great Aristotle. If Santa should bring this it would be the best Christmas by a lot and surely while he sleeps Santa says “Ho Ho Look at the big brain on Scott!!”

Tiny Van rests after another night memorizing the great thinkers of our past. With hope morning will come soon and night will not last. He wishes for a new light saber and new droid of course this would be fun. As Santa leaves his gifts he says ” Ho Ho the force is strong with this one!”

Gateway Jim finally logs off a late night of blogging because he knows Santa knows who’s sleep and who’s awake. Tomorrow he hopes to find a bobble head Reagan under the tree what a Christmas that would make! Maybe a real blogger’s spy kit with a camera ring and a plan of attack.All is well Jimbo! Santa is where hope made a come back!

As little Doug lie asleep without a care in the world and all is well. He dreams of a new “kitteh” that would be swell. He makes sure to leave Santa something this he would not botch for who wouldn’t like two cookies and two shots of scotch? Knowing Santa has arrived with his wishful plea. He only hopes the kitty doesn’t knock down the tree!

Jim and Ginny tired after a long holiday of baking. A great Christmas for their kids is surely in the making. They’ll wake to find their kids at the tree yes that’s where they’re at. Imagine a baker’s family and all slim and none fat. They left Santa their specialty and that he did take. A little note he left read ” God bless the Kruta’s and this gooey butter cake!”

Little Radio Dana tired from a heartfelt fight for the good Todd Akin. Lies fast asleep with her AR-15, Nutella and a plate full of bacon. The stockings she knitted Santa will fill with treats and cheer. Hers will be filled with Scotch and American Patriot Beer. The Loesch family Christmas will be chocked full of fun and as Santa said as he left “See ya on the Dana cam on 97.1!”

So as the GGI team sleeps on Christmas Eve in peace and with a smile, Merry Christmas to all of you and see you in awhile! A New Year approaches and there’s work to do, but today Christ is born and God sent him for you.

Merry Christmas from the gatewaygrassroots.com team!

This Christmas: Spend Less, Give More, Worship Fully

Several years ago, I discovered Advent Conspiracy. I was floored. This had always taken this approach to Christmas…something to which I was highly resented for by many *Christian* relatives. Materialism had replaced the meaning behind the gift of Christ…and making meaningful gifts became meaningless because they were not the most expensive thing on the list.
Let’s be honest, how many times have you just cringed at the thought of even buying a gift for someone? Now, logically, that should he the first indicator that the relationship is deeply lacking in some way.
This year, instead of struggling and stressing over Christmas and the obligatory gift-giving (which usually goes unused, is unwanted, or unneeded), consider a new way to approach the holiday.
I give you the Advent Conspiracy: Spend Less, Give More, Worship Fully. If you still don’t get it, watch the trailer here. If you do get it, watch the video anyway.
Celebrate as Jesus did. He gave of himself…relationally.
It began with worship. It begins with worship.
Now, imagine, if you spent less money by investing in meaningful relationships, taking that money and giving it away…to help the poor, hurting, needy, hungry…
Give the gift of clean water through Living Water, by cutting back on even one gift this year, and spending the money elsewhere.
Christ would surely give the same.

Rick Rolled!

I can’t tell you how many I have gotten to actually do it! Feel free to Rick Roll! It’s been TOO long since we had a viral laugh!  Watch, copy and paste, and for the love of pepper, DO NOT dance this way!

Heh.

Boy Scout Bashing, UPS, and a Tale of Discrimination Hypocrisy

The United Parcel Device has announced that they will no longer grant any charity to one of the most charitable organizations in America: The Boy Scouts of America.

The BSA, a private organization, has spent over 100 years in nurturing the moral, charitable, and responsible character of young boys, and maturing young men.

UPS released a statement:

The UPS Foundation seeks to support organizations that are in alignment with our focus areas, guidelines, and non-discrimination policy. UPS and The UPS Foundation do not discriminate against any person or organization with regard to categories protected by applicable law, as well as other categories protected by UPS and The UPS Foundation in our own policies. These include, but are not limited to race, gender, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran or military status, pregnancy, age and religion.

Hmm, actually, it sounds to me as if UPS is discriminating against the BSA, as well as scouts everywhere. Hypocrite much?
I’m sure the BSA will manage. There are other parcel services who would gladly contribute to the BSA.

The Boy Scouts of America’s official policy on homosexuality and court rulings:
The Boy Scouts of America (BSA), one of the largest private youth organizations in the United States, has policies which prohibit atheists, agnostics and “open or avowed” homosexual people from membership in its Scouting program as directly violating its fundamental principles and tenets. BSA has denied or revoked membership status or leadership positions for violation of these foundational principles.

The BSA contends that these policies are essential in its mission to instill in young people the values of the Scout Oath and Law.

The organization’s legal right to have these policies has been upheld repeatedly by both state and federal courts. In Boy Scouts of America v. Dale, the Supreme Court of the United States has affirmed that as a private organization, the BSA can set its own membership standards. The BSA’s policies have been legally challenged but have not been found to constitute illegal discrimination; as a private organization in the United States the BSA has the right to freedom of association, as determined in the court case.

As of the announcement by UPS, thousands of Scouts throughout the United States have declared that they will no longer use UPS, both personally, as well as businesses. Many taking to their blogs and are suggesting to buycott other parcel services:

One of the reasons this country is going downhill so fast is that conservatives and Christians continue to support organizations that are hostile to our values

Take UPS, for example.

Its decision to publicly attack one of the finest organizations in America, the Boy Scouts, for putting kids first and staying true to its core principles by refusing to admit homosexual members tells you that this is not an organization that is friendly to Christian values.

The philanthropic arm of shipping giant UPS said it will no longer give money to the Boy Scouts of America as long as the group discriminates against gays, the second major corporation to recently strip funding from the scouts.

The UPS Foundation made the change Thursday after an online petition protesting its annual grants to the Boy Scouts attracted more than 80,000 signatures. UPS, based in Atlanta, follows computer chip maker Intel in withdrawing corporate support for the Boy Scouts.

UPS spokeswoman Kristen Petrella said groups applying for the foundation grants will have to adhere to the same standards UPS does by not discriminating against anyone based on race, religion, disability or sexual orientation.

“We promote an environment of diversity and inclusion,” Petrella said Monday. “UPS is a company that does the right things for the right reasons.”

Certainly, UPS doesn’t have to give the Boy Scouts any money, but when it wants to make sure that everyone knows that it doesn’t support the single best youth organization in America because that group is trying to adhere to their own traditional values, Christians shouldn’t support that. Use the Post Office, use FedEx, but don’t keep giving your money to companies that hold people like you in contempt.

While some have argued that the BSA is a Christian based organization, that would.be incorrect…however, Christian values are most certainly alligned with the core values if the Boy Scouts organization.

That being said, to discriminate against and organization for “discrimination” is just about the most backward-thinking, idiotic act of stupidity out there.

This is what UPS is discriminating against:

Scouting statisticshttp://scoutingabout.com:

Of 100 Boys in Scouting -* Only rarely will one appear in juvenile court. * 12 will receive their first church contact through Scouting. * 5 will receive church religious emblems. * 1 will enter the clergy due to his Scouting relationships. * 18 will develop hobbies that will give them a lifelong interest. * 8 will find their future life vocations. * 1 will use Scout skills to save another’s life. * 1 will credit Scout skills with saving his own life. * 2 of the 100 will reach the Eagle Rank. * 17 will later become leaders in Scouting and will pass on their skills, inspiration and leadership to countless youth. A comparative study of the records of Scouts and non-Scouts in a sampling of schools and colleges shows that Scouts hold most of the major positions of leadership in the student body. The survey resulted in the following statistics in regard to school officers bearing a large amount of responsibility. * Of senior class presidents, 89% were Scouts. * Of junior class presidents, 80% were Scouts. * Of business managers of school publications, 75% were Scouts. * Of student council presidents, 85% were Scouts. * Of school newspaper editors, 88% were Scouts. * Of editors of school annuals, 77% were Scouts. * Of basketball captains, 64% were Scouts. Numbered among the alumni of the Boy Scouts of America are: * 64% of Air Force Academy graduates. * 58% of West Point graduates. * 70% of Annapolis graduates. * 72% of Rhodes scholars. * 85% of FBI agents. * 26% of the 29 U.S. astronauts.

Wow!
…and UPS carries boxes.

URGENT: MO State Senate to Discuss Vote on Obamacare: ACTION NEEDED!

H/T Ron Calzone, Paul Hamby, Peter Kinder:

1. The Obamacare exchange is NOT simply an online resource for shopping insurance. It sets up new restrictions and penalties that will reduce your options. Some smaller insurance companies have already gone out of business — Obamacare will leave only a few huge insurace companies with monopolistic protections.

2. An exchange set up by the state does not give us control. HB609, the 2011 bill to set up a Missouri exchange included at least 40 references to federal laws or bureaucracies that dictate virtually every meaningful aspect of the exchange. Click for a marked up copy of HB609.

And here’s the Missouri First analysis of that bill.

Here are a couple of very good articles by the Cato Institute’s Michael F. Cannon pointing out the need to fight the exchange:

http://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/obamacare-road-repeal-starts-states

http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/333040/obamacare-still-vulnerable-michael-f-cannon

Action Item:

Call or email each Republican senator. Time is very short as they will be discussin this Friday and Saturday. Tell them the people of Missouri don’t want them to set up an Obamacare exchange any more than they want the governor to. The sentiment behind the Prop E vote applies to them, too!

(Here are the senators for whom we have public contact information. Some of the new senators don’t have published information yet.)

Dan Brown Rolla Dan.Brown@senate.mo.gov 573-751-5713
R Mike Cunningham
R Tom Dempsey St Charles tom.dempsey@senate.mo.gov 573-751-1141
R Bob Dixon Springfield bob.dixon@senate. mo.gov 573-751-2583 R
Edgar Emery Lamar R
Michael Kehoe Jefferson city 573-751-2076 R
Will Kraus Lees summit Will.Kraus@mail.senate.mo.gov 573-751-1464 R
Brad Lager Savannah brad.lager@senate.mo. gov 573-751-1415 R
John Lamping St Louis 573-751-2514 R
Douglas Libla Poplar Bluff
Brian Munzlinger Williamstown 573-751-7885 R
Brian Nieves Washington Brian.Nieves@ senate.mo.gov 573-751-3678 R
Michael Parson Bolivar mparson@senate.mo.gov 573-751-8793 R
David Pearce Warrensburg david.pearce@ senate.mo.gov 573-751-2272 R
Ron Richard Joplin 573-751-2173 R Gary Romine Farmington R
Scott Rupp Wentzville 573-751-1282 R
David Sater David.Sater@house.mo.gov R
Robert Schaaf St Joseph rob.schaaf@senate.mo.gov R
Kurt Schaefer Columbia kurt.schaefer@mail. senate.mo.gov 573-751-3931 R
Eric Schmitt St Louis eschmitt@senate.mo.gov R
Ryan Silvey Kansas city Ryan.Silvey@house.mo.gov R
Wayne Wallingford Wayne.Wallingford@ house.mo.gov R
Jay Wasson Nixa jay.wasson@senate.mo.gov 573-751-1503 R