Senator Barack Obama on his racial background

I am the son of a black man from Kenya and a white woman from Kansas. I was raised with the help of a white grandfather who survived a Depression to serve in Patton's Army during World War II and a white grandmother who worked on a bomber assembly line at Fort Leavenworth while he was overseas. I've gone to some of the best schools in America and lived in one of the world's poorest nations. I am married to a black American who carries within her the blood of slaves and slaveowners — an inheritance we pass on to our two precious daughters. I have brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, uncles and cousins, of every race and every hue, scattered across three continents, and for as long as I live, I will never forget that in no other country on Earth is my story even possible. 

It's a story that hasn't made me the most conventional candidate. But it is a story that has seared into my genetic makeup the idea that this nation is more than the sum of its parts — that out of many, we are truly one. 

By BARACK OBAMA | 3/18/08 10:53 AM EST

On Cap and Trade

I have a plan to reduce excess world population.  I will base it on the Cap and Trade model promoted by Al Gore to reduce green house gases.  To stabilize world population, I recommend that each family unit be alloted two children per family.  This should reduce the population growth to zero.  Their are a number of families that are either unable or unwilling to use there allotted population slots.  These people should be allowed to profit by non use of their population slots by auctioning them to the highest bidder..

I wonder what my slots would be worth on the open market?
(may it be noted with a tone of sarcasm and humor that I discovered after I was married that I was born unable to father children)

New Hands

New Hands 

Celia got drinking from her Mother 

and hitting from her Father, 

and yelling from both.

And She took it all in

and digested it and became it,

because you are what you eat.

And her parents ate from the table of their parents.

Who ate from the table of theirs.

Back and Back and Back,

and Celia was stuck.

But cells die,

And every seven years we are new.

Celia's new heart and new hands

set the table 

and stir the pot

and serve better stuff 

than she ever got

(Carol Lynn Pearson, Women I Have Know and Been, 1992)

CONCLUSION OF THE CONFESSION OF JOHN D. LEE.

Camp Cameron,  March 13, 1877

CONCLUSION OF THE CONFESSION OF JOHN D. LEX.

Written in prison at Fort Cameron, near Beaver City, Utah Territory. Delivered to Hon. Sumner Howard by John D. Lee, on the field of execution, just before the sentence of death was carried into effect.

Forwarded to Wm. W. Bishop, by Hon. Suuiner Howard, according to the last request of John D. Lee.

Camp Cameron, March 13th, 1877.

Morning clear, still and pleasant. The guard, George Tracy, Informs me that Col. Nelson and Judge Howard have gone. Since my confinement here, I have reflected much over my sentence, and as the time of my execution is drawing near, I feel composed, and as calm as the summer morning. I hope to meet my fate with manly courage. I declare my innocence. I have done nothing designedly wrong in that unfortunate and lamentable affair with which I have been implicated. I used my utmost endeavors to save them from their sad fate. I freely would have given worlds, were they at my command, to have averted that evil. I wept and mourned over them before and after, but words will not help them, now it is done. My blood cannot help them, neither can it make that atonement required. Death to me has no terror. It is but a struggle, and all is over. I much regret to part with my loved ones here, especially under that odium of disgrace that will follow my name; that I cannot help.

I know that I have a reward in Heaven, and my conscience does not accuse me. This to me is a great consolation. I place more value upon it than I would upon an eulogy without merit. If my work is done here on earth, I ask my God in Heaven, in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, to receive my spirit, and allow me to meet my loved ones who have gone behind the vail. The bride of my youth and her faithful mother, my devoted friend and companion, N. A., also my dearly beloved children, all of whom I parted from with sorrow, but shall meet them with joy—I bid you all an affectionate farewell. I have been treacherously betrayed and sacrificed in the most cowardly manner by those who should have been my friends, and whose will I have diligently striven to make my pleasure, for the last thirty years at least. In return for my faithfulness and fidelity to him and his cause, he has sacrificed me in a most shameful and cruel way. I leave them in the hands of the Lord to deal with them according to the merits of their crimes, in the final restitution of all things.

TO THE MOTHERS OF MY CHILDREN.

I beg of you to teach them better things than to ever allow themselves to be let down so low as to be steeped in the vice, corruption and villainy that would allow them to sacrifice the meanest wretch on earth, much less a neighbor and a friend, as their father has been. Be kind and true to each other. Do not contend about my property. You know my mind concerning it . Live faithful and humble before God, that we may meet again in the mansions of bliss that God has prepared for His faithful servants. Remember the last words of your most true and devoted friend on earth, and let them sink deep into your tender aching hearts; many of you I may never see in this world again, but I leave my blessing with you. Farewell.

I wish my wife Rachel to take a copy of the above, and all my family to have a copy of the original. My worthy attorney, W. W. Bishop, will please insert it in my record or history, should I not be able to write up my history to the proper place, to speak of my worthy friend Win. H. Hooper. Please exonerate him from all blame or censure of buying the stock of that unfortunate company, as there is no truth in the accusation whatever. He is a noble, high-minded gentleman. And let it appear also of Bishop John Sharp, honorably, for the nobleness of the man who advanced me money in the time of trouble, and if my history meet with the favor of the public, pay those two gentlemen. My friends Hoge and Foster, as well as yourself and Spicer, some. You under»f«nd our agreement.

John D. Lee.

Somewhere In The Middle (Casting Crowns)

Somewhere In The Middle (Casting Crowns)

Somewhere between the hot and the cold
Somewhere between the new and the old
Somewhere between who I am and who I used to be
Somewhere in the middle, You'll find me

Somewhere between the wrong and the right
Somewhere between the darkness and the light
Somewhere between who I was and who You're making me
Somewhere in the middle, You'll find me

Just how close can I get, Lord, to my surrender without losing all control

Fearless warriors in a picket fence, reckless abandon wrapped in common sense
Deep water faith in the shallow end and we are caught in the middle
With eyes wide open to the differences, the God we want and the God who is
But will we trade our dreams for His or are we caught in the middle
Are we caught in the middle

Somewhere between my heart and my hands
Somewhere between my faith and my plans
Somewhere between the safety of the boat and the crashing waves

Somewhere between a whisper and a roar
Somewhere between the altar and the door
Somewhere between contented peace and always wanting more
Somewhere in the middle You'll find me

Just how close can I get, Lord, to my surrender without losing all control

Lord, I feel You in this place and I know You're by my side
Loving me even on these nights when I'm caught in the middle

(song lyrics, Casting Crowns)

Apostles Creed

Apostles Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,

    the Maker of heaven and earth,

    and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord:

Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,

    born of the virgin Mary,

    suffered under Pontius Pilate,

    was crucified, dead, and buried;

He descended into hell.

The third day He arose again from the dead;

He ascended into heaven,

    and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty;

    from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Ghost;

    the holy catholic church; *

    the communion of saints;

    the forgiveness of sins;

    the resurrection of the body;

    and the life everlasting.

Amen.

*catholic

Etymology

From Latin catholicus from Ancient Greek καθολικός (katholikos) from κατά (kata), “‘according to’”) + ὅλος (holos), “‘whole’”)

Adjective

   1. All inclusive; pertaining to all mankind.

          He has catholic tastes.

Synonyms

    * universal

(http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/catholic,07-29-2009)

On Restoration of the Priesthood

In our Fast and Testimony meetings we often speak of our gratitude for the restoration of The Gospel by Joseph Smith.  This are wonderful sentiments,  but that leaves me to wonder, if it is possible, to restore The Gospel of Jesus Christ?

The Gospel is the "Good News", that Christ suffered in Gethsemane, was placed on cross, descended to Hell, released her captives, and ascended to to Heaven (see the Apostles Creed, oldest written form of the Baptismal Covenant).  The Old Testament Covenant only condemns us,  who are unable to fulfill it's conditions (see Parable of the Wicked Mammon, William Tyndale).  Grace, through the intervention and condescension of The  Christ restores us again to The Father's presence.  If The Law of the Gospel is an eternal law , it can neither be lost nor restored.  Can one restore The Law Gravity.  One's ignorance of a law's technical description can not prevent it's proper operation.

Sir Isaac Newton restored to us a technical description of the Law of Gravity in his "Principia".  He never restored The Law of Gravity, only our proper understanding of it's of operation.

I wonder, if in sharing these views, in our testimony meetings. We, in our common experience, are seeking to express our gratitude for the Restoration of the Priesthood.

I have studied the writings of the men  who laid the ground work for the Restoration of the Priesthood.  Men such as, John Chrysostom, Arius,  Pelagius , John Wycliffe,  Miles Smith, John Milton, Martin Luther, John Calvin,Thomas Cranmer,  William Tyndale, Thomas More, and John Milton.  These men possessed  a very good working knowledge of The Gospel of Jesus Christ.   All their attempts to reform, or the restore the ministry of the church ended in dissolution  or usurpation.  The missing key to their puzzle was the Priesthood, or authorization by God to act in his name.  The return of the Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthood's through the Prophet Joseph Smith the restored this element missing from their ministries.

Surprised by Joy

Surprised by Joy

(The Shape of My Early Life)

Clive Stanley Lewis

Copyright 1956 By C.S. Lewis

Copyright renewed 1984 by Arthur Owen Barfield

Page 238

But what , in conclusion of Joy? for that, after all, what the story has mainly been about.  To tell you the truth, the subject has lost nearly all interest for me since I became a Christian.  I cannot, indeed, complain, like Wordsworth, that the visionary gleam has passed away.  I believe (if the thing were at all worth recording) that the old stab, the old bittersweet , has come to me as often and as sharply since my conversion as at any time of my life whatever  But I now know that the experience, considered as a state of my own mind, had never the kind of importance I once gave it.  It was valuable only as a pointer to something other and outer.  While that other was in doubt, the pointer  naturally loomed large in my thoughts.  When we are lost in the woods the sight of a signpost is a great matter.  He who first sees it cries "Look!"  The whole party gathers round and stares.  But when we have found the road and are passing sign post every few miles, we shall not stop and stare.  They will encourage us and we shall be grateful to the authority that set them up.  But we shall not stop and stare, or not much; not on this road, though their pillars are of silver and their lettering of gold.  "We would be at Jerusalem."

Not, of course, that I  Don't often catch myself stopping to stare at roadside

On Mountain Meadows

Monument at Mountain Meadows ca 1900

  I have recently finished reading a new book,  "The Massacre at Mountain Meadows".  It was written by the Assistant Church Historian and the Director of the Latter-Day Church Museum of History and Art.  It gave me new insight in the the thinking of John D. Lee.  What does a man do who is commanded by his bishop and his stake president to slaughter 120 men, woman and children.  His bishop and stake president are his military commanders.

 We are told that if our L.D.S. Church Leaders ask to do something wrong and we follow their direction,  God will bless our actions.  Some men chose to follow their orders and participate and some men chose not to participate at the peril of their lives.   I wonder choice I would have made.

 The massacre was initiated by a misapplication of Brigham Young's Indian policy.  Due to the approach of the United States Army 1857 and the need to create a defense policy, Brigham Young had determined to use the Indians as hammer to smash the invading Federal Army.  The local Iron County militia, on its own initiative, determined to use this policy to rid themselves of a troublesome immigrant train headed to California.  It was hoped that the Indian's would be able to trap the immigrants and kill them quickly at The Mountain Meadows, in the southern portion of the Utah Territory.  This course of action failed, leaving the immigrant company entombed in a fort assembled of their wagons, forming a make shift corral. At the failure of the Indian's to massacre the immigrant party, a council was called at Parawon .  The council, formed of local citizen's, church and military leaders, advised that no further actions be taken and that an express rider be dispatched to Brigham Young for additional instruction.  Later that night contrary to instruction from the council, the bishop and stake president called out the local militia, under a pretense to bury dead, to kill the immigrant company.  Additional Militia forces were ordered to a neighboring valley to kill some immigrant's who has gone to retrieve grease to maintain their wagons.  The immigrant party was lead from their makeshift fort, under a white flag and murdered.  The men went out first, followed by the woman and children.  They were lead single file to an ambush. Their was roughly one militia member per immigrant

  In the 1870's the U.S. Government investigated the massacre.  The bishop and stake president went into hiding and were not located.  John D. Lee was placed on trial twice.  The first trial ended in a hung jury.  John was taken to the meadows placed on his coffin and shot.  Thus becoming a scapegoat.  (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scapegoat)

  John was the only one to surrender and face trial.  All three men were excommunicated for their participation in the crime.  The 1870's were a difficult time for the L.D.S. Church and The Utah Territorial Government.  John's successful prosecution reduced some of this pressure.

  In the 1960's Juanita Brooks ground breaking biography of John D. Lee lead the leadership of the L.D.S Church to restore his membership.

  I keep think of King David cry, "will though leave my soul in hell".  John D. Lee  took upon himself the sins of his community.

ball turret Gunner

The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner
by Randall Jarrell

From my mother's sleep I fell into the State,

And I hunched in its belly till my wet fur froze.

Six miles from earth, loosed from its dream of life,

I woke to black flak and the nightmare fighters.

When I died they washed me out of the turret with a hose.

On Spiritual Death

  In Gethsemane, Christ was separated from his Eternal Father for a brief time. 

• This was an Eternal separation. 
• This was Spiritual Death.  

The Eternal Father, seeking a mediator for mankind  sent the Emmanuel (God is with us) to Earth.    

The Eternal Father desired his mediator to develop empathy. This empathy is developed through life's common experiences. 

 Our spiritual disconnection from the Eternal God is a consequence of sin.  

Jesus Christ, the son, being sinless, had not experienced Spiritual Death, or separation from The Father.  "The Eternal Father" wanted his son "The Emmanuel"  to experience Spiritual Death.

The son became "Yeshua Ben Joseph",  (the man)  that he might understand our condition, to better mediate our journey of redemption.

(see John Milton, Paradise Regained; Book I: 85-99)
[Thus we are instructed by the  Demon]

On His Blindness

by John Milton (1608 – 1674)
composed  about 1652

When I consider how my light is spent

E're half my days, in this dark world and wide,

And that one Talent which is death to hide,

Lodg'd with me useless, though my Soul more bent

To serve therewith my Maker, and present

My true account, least he returning chide,

Doth God exact day-labour, light deny'd,

I fondly ask; But patience to prevent

That murmur, soon replies, God doth not need

Either man's work or his own gifts, who best

Bear his milde yoak, they serve him best, his State

Is Kingly. Thousands at his bidding speed

And post o're Land and Ocean without rest:

They also serve who only stand and waite.

Milton, on losing his sight, is gaining his vision.

On the restoration of  Charles II and the the English Monarchy  Miltons' hopes of seeing the English people freeded from the dual yokes of Monarchy and Episcopalianism are dashed.  Thus ends a lifetimes work,  hopes and  dreams.  

To serve his country under the English Commonwealth, Milton has neglected his one talent.   

Is waiting on a stewardship from his one and  true king also a service to the same? 

To a watchful waiting,  Milton will now place this  talent. 
 
Through the instrument of a blind poet in the darkness of the night, The Eternal Father reveals his finest works.   Thus recieved, Paradise Lost  and Paradise Regained.


http://classicpoetryaloud.podomatic.com/entry/2007-11-20T03_34_02-08_00

http://www.answers.com/topic/on-his-blindness-sonnet-16-poem-5

The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 19:12-28)

John Milton served Oliver Cromwell and the English Commonweath (1649 - 1660)

Oliver Cromwell (born April 25, 1599 Old Style, died September 3, 1658 Old Style)

Of Envy

 

"A man that hath no virtue in himself, ever envieth virtue in others. For men's minds, will either feed upon their own good, or upon others' evil; and who wanteth the one, will prey upon the other; and whoso is out of hope, to attain to another's virtue, will seek to come at even hand, by depressing another's fortune."

Sir Francis Bacon; essay