The Ocala Banner this week decided to take sides as it were via their assistant editor in the editorial section Bill Thompson's opinion page in the Sunday paper, he referred to anyone in favour of changing the ordinance back to its original form as an AGITATOR. An Agitator? Sounds like a communist insider or an Italian brown shirt. Which was what Bill was most likely after, Label those who you disagree with in terms associated with the filth of the world or the dangerous elements of society and hope the label sticks and folks begin to associate your victim with a nutcase or a dangerous NAZI group, even if only subconsciously. A very sad commentary on a major institution, then again, a friend of mine who worked for the head paper that bought the Ocala star banner years ago told me that his paper did not purchase small town papers for their news content, but rather for their left leaning liberal editorial pages.
Here is the article in it's full content. My Comments will be in RED>
As far as Preacher or any sort of Christian is concerned, if he is UNBIASED he needs to step down from the pulpit and go to the bar.
PS.. I always thought that a news paper man was to be unbiased?
Thats OK, as long as they don't change the facts of a case...........
The Follow articel ( in Black) is presented here under a fair use cause with rebutal commentary throughout,( in RED) free of charge and under reservation of all rights without prejudice.
A Little law will do ya.. Just incase anyone wonders if one can use a article that is copyrited for commentary I will now post the law in Title 17 US code Section
107. Limitations on exclusive rights: Fair use
Release date: 2005-08-01
Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 106 and 106A, the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section,
for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research,
is not an infringement of copyright. Thank you
IN Christ
The Preacher
Article published Sep 11, 2005
Preachin' to the preachers
Freedom encludes free will
In case you missed it, the raging Belleview booze brawl appears headed to the voters. City commissioners, by the same 3-2 margin that repealed the city's alcohol blue laws in July, recently snubbed the frustrated temperance forces who wanted the board to reverse its reversal.
Now, the activists, self-dubbed The Committee of 50, seek to have voters decide whether wine and alcohol -- beer sales were already legal -- should be sold on the Christian Sabbath. Expect the outcome in November.
These statements are simply "Misrepresentations of reality, First of All, the Small Town Charm Committee was dubbed the Committee of 50 by the lawyer politician Steve Bairstow, NOT by anyone open the committee, and the issue of voters deciding the issue at a high cost to the taxpayers was the MAYOR's DECISION and no one else's, He was given the option of having it upon the regular ballot at almost NO COST to Belleview but decided rather to force the work of petitions and then a special election. THAT WAS AGAIN THE MAYORS CHOICE.. Hey but what does he care how the taxpayers foot the bill.. HE IS MOVING OUT OF TOWN ANYWAY.. On another point the deceptive Bill has again misrepresented the whole truth, he said that beer sales were already legal, but failed to mention the issue at hand being twofold, one sales of wine to be added to beer in supermarkets, and the OTHER for consumption of premises where beer WAS NOT ALLOWED before. Bill simply is playing word games to guide a point. Also note the Idea of the "Christian Sabbath was never mentioned in the petition, but rather Sunday, the issue that Bill is hiding is the issue of ONE day. I have told several reporters from the Banner that brought up the same notion to me, that I would be glad to exchange Friday or Saturday for Sunday if that is what they are referring to. The issue is ONE day. The one day when the people in the area are MOST LIKELY to have their entire families in a car with them at one time.
Belleview's battle reminded me of a recent homily by Father Pat Sheedy at Blessed Trinity Catholic Church.
Fr. Pat told the tale of a dry town in Georgia suddenly confronted with a saloon owner determined to upset their tee-totaling ways. He built a bar, prompting the town's Christians to collectively pray for God to do something.
A violent storm blew through the next day. A bolt of lightning zapped the bar, which was instantly engulfed in flames and reduced to ashes.
The bar owner sued the faithful, alleging they were responsible for his establishment's demise. The Christians immediately hired their own lawyer and shot back that it was ridiculous to hold them accountable for a legitimate act of God.
The presiding judge took one look at the case and drew an intriguing conclusion: the bar owner clearly believed in the power of prayer and the Christians didn't.
Bill's meandering here is quite interesting, he at once wishes to drag a Church leader into his argument and at the same time leave the official doctrine of the church he attended in the street as he begins his argument against those who he defames as agitators. The issue is not whether or not a make believe story about lightning proves a lack of faith on Christians but " Should those who live in a community have laws that are in accordance with their Beliefs abd faith, In Bill's world it would seem that faith and feet have no common denominator. In other words , it is OK to believe something to be truth and right and good, but it is not OK to act upon it. He fails to remember the document that states that Government must be at the consent of the Governed. Watch as Bill develops his argument..
While they still might prevail at the polls, had the agitators convinced city residents that Sunday booze sales were truly evil, it seems the ranks of blue-laws backers would have grown, and sheer numbers would have swayed at least one commissioner to maintain or reinstate the ban. Now, the city will spend thousands of dollars to settle the matter.
Bill Attempts here to portray Mayor Bairstow , Paula Chaffin and Ken Nadeau as being of a persuadable mind in regard to this issue. Now in all fairness to Ken , he did bring up the option to review the issue and even modify the issue, however Bairstow and Chaffin were beyond persuading. If there had been 10,000 people in that room that night, it would have made no difference at all. Bill in forgetting his bible forgot how some hearts can be so hardened that they are Given up to a reprobate mind to do those things which are unseemly. He forgets that a heart against God is NOT FREE. Jesus said if the son should SET YOU FREE ye shall be free indeed, and so does this not imply that some are still NOT FREE to choose to do right because they have chosen to do wrong for so long? Bill Fails to see that to some Darkness is light. His rhetoric about sheer numbers is simply his poor theology trying to convince YOU and ME that we were dealing with anything other than TYRANTS AT CITY HALL. As far as the Thousands of Dollars to settle the matter, that too was the decision of the TYRANTS AT LARGE and not, as Bill would have his readers believe, the Committee.
ALSO note Bills propaganda in referring to those on the committee as agitators rather than Citizens. An attempt to vilify? Sort of like referring to Muslim Nutcases as Fundamentalists, a term that Bible Believing Christians coined in the 50's and that the media did a wonderful job with in the 80's making a connection to the terrorists in IRAN. I can still remember going door knocking and when folks saw the word fundamentalist on the Church tracts they would step back a bit wondering if our church was full of nutcases like the Fundamentalists all over the TV they had been watching. Word Games...
This brouhaha generated by the Committee of 50 resembles a wider trend.
Bill is about to EXPOSE himself.....
I'm not as well versed in early American history as some people. But my public school education taught me that the Pilgrims in Massachusetts and others who came after them -- for example, Quakers in Pennsylvania, Catholics in Maryland -- abandoned their homes for America to escape a single state-sponsored religion.
Well Bill your Public Education is showing a bit, and as you have stated you are not very well versed and should simply sit and be still. Might I point out for a few readers at this point that the Pilgrims came to this land not to escape church involvement in public life, but rather what they conceived as a CORRUPT CHURCH and a CORRUPT RELIGION from dictating to them how they should live. Other wise BILL, why did they upon arriving in America Decide that they would use the BIBLE as the center of all their Laws? Why, for example in Massachusetts did they establish the very laws that you refer to as BLUE? Why was it unlawful for anyone other then a Christian to hold public office in their colony?
Today, however, we witness some Christian groups turning history on its head. Religion in many ways now seeks to dictate how the government operates.
Government in America, is not an automaton, it is a Group of people under a Constitution and Bill of rights and Common Law that should at least be a representation of their Beliefs and faiths. In the arguments that are being brought forth, the people are to be separate from themselves, they are to be hypocrites and vote contrary to what they believe?
It's clear in numerous issues: efforts by President Bush, Gov. Jeb Bush and some state and federal lawmakers to appease religious groups by getting involved in the Terri Schiavo dispute; President Bush's assertion that public schools teach Intelligent Design alongside evolution and his call for a constitutional ban on gay marriage; fights over the display of the Ten Commandments, stem cell research and so on.
In Other words, Believe one thing but DO NOT ACT ON IT? Why are their no references to affirmative action here or inter racial marriage all of which were at one time religious disputes in the political realm. Why no references to Dr. Martin Luther King and his religious crusade for equal rights? You see these were not republicans or conservatives in the eyes of the Newspaper editorial of today. Freedom to sit anywhere on a bus for a Black person is much more noble then saving the Life of a helpless baby in the womb or a brain damaged woman in Florida. Such hypocrites these mortal be.
In Scripture, Jesus repeatedly distinguishes between the kingdom of God and the province of man. True, Christians are to be the salt of the Earth through their beliefs and acts, (AS LONG AS THEY DO NOT ACTUALLY HAVE ANY EFFECT or Go against the editorial policy of the paper?) and like any other Americans, have every right to be heard on public affairs and hold public office. (AS LONG AS THEY ARE NOT AGITATORS OR EFFECTIVE)
But ultimately a Christian's reward comes in another place, at another time. Jesus did not order His followers to create heaven on Earth. He, more than anyone else, knew that was hopeless.
Will offences come? Yes Bill they will But Jesus said
Luk 17:1 Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!
This is the most revealing and bright thing that was said in the article, however like a light with a dim battery it was not VERY bright. The Truth of the matter is that God has called his people to OCCUPY until he comes,
Luk 19:13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and
said unto them, Occupy till I come.
Will this world get worse and worse? Yes most likely however who will have to answer for it in the long run, Do nothing Christians and agnostic mockers? Or those who saw the evil and held our ground against it? Will Christians who saw the train coming and said and did nothing be held accountable for the wreck more then the sleeping bum under the bridge?
Isa 62:6 I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence,
Eze 33:6 But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.
While a reward ultimately comes to a Christian in another place as Bill has stated, that reward is determined on two things. ONE.. Did you follow Jesus and TWO if not WHY? Hopeless is not the issue, accountability is. Christians will be dealt with in eternity with either reward or loss and that will be determined by their action or IN action according to their faith and obedience to the word of God here and NOW.
Bill's Salt and Light is bland for he would not have it actually placed upon the food and darkness for which it was intended. One thing about salt, it not only enhances the flavour, it also slows decay, under the Logic presented by Bill a Christian can use his salt for eating but not for preservation or disinfectant.. That's too bad. Mat 5:13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
A few weeks ago, conservative columnist and unabashed Christian Cal Thomas weighed in on the Supreme Court's twin Ten Commandments' rulings. He wrote, "Do those advocating for more public displays of religion privately practice what they publicly preach? If they did, the influence of their proclaimed righteousness might reach all the way to the Supreme Court. Whether it did, or not, it would reach all the way to their God."
He added: "Are there expectations in the Bible that God needs the state to promote himself and that such promotion should be visible?"
His answer was no.
Needs? NO.. And though Cal Thomas' answer was No to the needs issue and he is right, the real question is whether or not God requires the State to uphold his laws in order to be a legitimate state or not. And to that the answer is YES.
Rom 13:3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
Rom 13:4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
The story of Christ's life holds more transformative power than any in human history. We all have free will and can choose whether to allow God to work that power on us individually.
AMEN BILL, But Bill If that Power of transformation is worked on an individual and a society is composed of individuals would it not also follow that those individuals who have been transformed but the power of Christ should seek rulers who have also been transformed and have laws that have been transformed? Bill What about the HISTORY of his Death and resurrection?
But we now see many of Jesus' flock repeatedly seeking to use not faith but the power of the state -- or as in Belleview, the city -- to bring all of us under the rule of their beliefs.
Has Bill just admitted that he is not apart of Jesus' Flock? That we have two groups, one belongs to Jesus and that another group, which he places himself in that does not belong to Jesus?
Under the articles Logic.
Christians are permitted to Pray for deliverance but never follow the opportunities that God gives in answer to their prayer.
Christians are permitted to Pray for good government But not Vote for it according to God providing the opportunity for it
Christians are permitted to Pray for the Lost, but never tell them they are Lost
Christians are Permitted to Pray but never listen to the Answers and act upon them
Christians are to read the Bible but not actually believe it and adjust their lives accordingly
Christians Must NOT Vote according to what THEY believe.
Christians Should willingly fund and support their own destruction.
Christian should say nothing to the Porno Dealers, Abortion Clinics, Strip Joints, Sodomite clibs and bars and simply Pray for them to go away.
Christians should send their children to the antiChrist indoctrination camps known as Public schools and become as Lukewarm and antagonistic to everything Jesus ever taught anyone.
Like the disciple Peter walking on water -- borrowing again from Fr. Pat -- Belleview's temperance-tantrum throwers seem more worried about the surrounding sea's roiling waves than avoiding drowning by focusing on Christ.
They ought to know prayer can move mountains, if they'll let it.
Prayer can move mountains and it will, however if after you are done praying you open your eyes and there is a shovel that was not there before. ............... Take the hint and start digging!
___________
Bill Thompson is assistant editorial page editor for the Star-Banner.
Bill Thompson has also been invited on LIVE call in radio in Ocala by one of those he labeld an AGITATOR to defend his opinion on 91.3.fm
