Nowadays there’s a considerable amount of traffic at this border. People cross a little more freely than they use to. Many people from Hong Kong trade in China and the market has helped bring the two countries closer together, but the barriers between them are still very real. On this side of the border, people are free not only in the marketplace, but in all their lives. They are free to say what they want, to write what they want, to do pretty much as they please. Not so over there.
That is why people in China who cannot get permission to leave go to desperate lengths to escape. They risk their lives in the process. Many lose their lives, but that doesn’t keep others from following. Some are attracted by the higher material standard of life in Hong Kong, but more by the natural human desire to be free.
The people who get official permission to leave China are fortunate. They are going to be able to enjoy the benefits of the economic freedom they will find in Hong Kong. More important, that will give them a much wider freedom.
Human and political freedom has never existed and cannot exist without a large measure of economic freedom. Those of us who have been so fortunate as to have been born in a free society tend to take freedom for granted __ to regard it as the natural state of mankind __ it is not. It is a rare and precious thing. Most people throughout history, most people today have lived in conditions of tyranny and misery, not of freedom and prosperity. The clearest demonstration of how much people value freedom is the way they vote with their feet when they have no other way to vote.
Of course, many of the people who pour into Hong Kong will end up in conditions that most of us in the West would find appalling. Hong Kong is very far from utopia. It has its slums, its crime, its desperately poor people. But the people are free. That’s after all, why so many of them have come here, despite having to live in leaky house boats in one of Hong Kong’s many small harbors. Here they have the freedom and the opportunity to better themselves, to improve their lot, and many succeed. There’s appalling poverty in Hong Kong, it’s true, but the conditions of the people have been getting better over time. They’re far better off now than they were when they first came across the border from China. And that poverty, appalling to us, because we’re accustomed to much higher standards of life, is not poverty as viewed by most of the people in the world. It’s the poverty to which they would aspire. A state of affairs they would like to achieve.
There is an enormous amount of poverty in the world everywhere. There is no system that’s perfect. There is no system that’s going to eliminate completely poverty in whatever sense. The question is, which system has the greatest chance? Which is the best arrangement for enabling poor people to improve their life? On that, the evidence of history speaks with a single voice. I do not know any exception to the proposition that if you compare like with like, the freer the system, the better off the ordinary poor people have been.
Ask yourself what it is that assures these garment workers in Hong Kong a good wage; not high by Western standards; but high enough to enable them to live far better than most people in the world. It is not government or trade union, these workers do well because there is competition for their labor and skills.
When a businessman faces trouble, a market threatens to disappear, or a new competitor arises, there are two things he can do. He can turn to the government for a tariff or quota or some other restriction on competition, or he can adjust and adapt. In Hong Kong the first option is closed. Hong Kong is too dependent on foreign trade so that the government has simply had to adopt a policy of complete noninterference. That’s tough on some individuals, but it is extremely healthy for the society as a whole. Only the businessmen who can adapt, who are flexible and adjustable survive and they create good employment opportunities for the rest.
The complete absence of tariffs or any other restrictions on trade is one of the main reasons why Hong Kong has been able to provide such rapidly rising standard of life for its people. Even Communist China recognizes Hong Kong’s success, it set up shop here and now excepts the universal symbol of capitalism. The Bank of China, the official bank of Communist China is the largest bank in Hong Kong. There’s no doubt that Communist China recognizes the power of the market.
In all this, the government of Hong Kong has played an important part, not only by what it has done, but as much by what it has refrained from doing. It has made sure that laws are enforced and contracts honored. It has provided the conditions in which a free market can work. Most importantly, it has not tried to direct the economic activities of the colony.
No government official is telling these people what to do. They are free to buy from whom they want, to sell to whom they want, to work for whom they want. Sometimes it looks like chaos and so it is, but underneath it’s highly organized by the impersonal forces of a free marketplace. The impersonal forces of a free marketplace at work back here in the United States, prices are the key. The prices that people are willing to pay for products determines what’s produced. The prices that have to be paid for raw materials, for the wages of labor, and so on, determine the cheapest way to produce these things.
In addition, these self same prices, the wages of labor, the interest on capital, and so on, determine how much each person has to spend on the market. It’s tempting to try to separate this final function of prices from the other two. To think that some how or other you can use prices to transmit the information about what should be produced and how it should be produced, without using those prices to determine how much each person gets. Indeed, government activity over the past few decades has been devoted to little else. But that’s a very serious mistake. If what people get is not going to be determined on what they produce, how they produce it, on how successfully they work, what incentive is there for them to act in accordance with the information that is transmitted. There is only one alternative: force __ some people telling other people what to do.
The showdown in Wisconsin has generated competing claims about whether state and local government bureaucrats are paid too much or paid too little compared to their private sector counterparts.
This is a fair point, so we need to find some objective measure that neutralizes all the possible differences. Fortunately, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has a Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, and this “JOLTS” data includes a measure of how often workers voluntarily leave job, and we can examine this data for different parts of the workforce.
Every labor economist, right or left, will agree that higher “quit rates” are much more likely in sectors that are underpaid and lower levels are much more likely in sectors where compensation is generous.
Not surprisingly, this data shows state and local bureaucrats are living on Easy Street. As the chart illustrates, private sector workers are more than three times as likely to quit their jobs.
This helps explain why the unions are treating the Wisconsin debate as if it was Custer’s Last Stand. The bureaucrats know they have comfortable sinecures and they are fighting to preserve their unfair privileges.
This Center for Freedom and Prosperity video looks at all of the data and reveals a pecking order. Federal bureaucrats are at the kings and queens of compensation. State and local bureaucrats are like the nobility. And private sector taxpayers are the serfs that worker harder and earn less, but nonetheless finance the entire racket.
The video closes with a very important point that the right pay level for many bureaucrats is zero. This is because they work for programs, departments, and agencies that should not exist.
Coming to PBS beginning Monday, Feb. 20. From draft dodging to the Dayton Accords, from Monica Lewinsky to a balanced budget, the presidency of William Jefferson Clinton veered between sordid scandal and grand achievement. In CLINTON, the latest installment in the critically acclaimed and successful series of presidential biographies, AMERICAN EXPERIENCE explores the fascinating story of an American president who rose from a broken childhood in Arkansas to become one of the most successful politicians in modern American history and one of the most complex and conflicted characters to ever stride across the public stage. It recounts a career full of accomplishment and rife with scandal, a marriage that would make history and create controversy and a presidency that would define the crucial and transformative period between the fall of the Berlin Wall and 9/11. It follows Clinton across his two terms as he confronted some of the key forces that would shape the future, including partisan political warfare and domestic and international terrorism, and struggled, with uneven success, to define the role of American power in a post-Cold War world. Most memorably, it explores how Clinton’s conflicted character made history, even as it enraged his enemies and confounded his friends. The program features unprecedented access to scores of Clinton insiders including White House Press Secretary Dee Dee Myers, White House Counsel Bernard Nussbaum, White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta and Deputy Chief of Staff Harold Ickes, as well as interviews with foreign leaders, members of the Republican opposition, childhood friends, staffers from Clinton’s years as governor of Arkansas, biographers and journalists.
Monica Lewinsky has attempted to keep a low-profile after her role in President Bill Clinton‘s impeachment scandal made her name the butt of many late-night jokes. But she’s likely to become a topic of discussion again when PBS airs its much anticipated two-part, four-hour documentaryon the former president, titled “Clinton.”
The documentary, which premieres on PBS as part of its “American Experience” series on Monday, will shed new light on Clinton’s Oval Office affair with his 23-year-old intern through interviews with some of Clinton’s closest advisors, some of whom are speaking publicly about the affair for the first time.
Among the former White House staffers appearing on camera are Secretary of Labor Robert Reich and Clinton’s former reelection campaign manager, Dick Morris.
In the doc, Morris reveals, “When the Lewinsky scandal broke the President paged me and I returned the call. And he said, ‘Ever since I got here to the White House I’ve had to shut my body down, sexually I mean, but I screwed up with this girl. I didn’t do what they said I did, but I may have done so much that I can’t prove my innocence.’ ”
Though she plays a huge role in the story of Bill Clinton’s presidency, Lewinsky herself was not interviewed for the documentary. Producer Barak Goodman said at a Television Critics Assn. panel in January of the decision, “We felt it would tilt [the documentary] toward sensationalism.”
After the scandal, Lewinsky went through a period of alternately embracing and avoiding her celebrity. She attended the Oscars with Sir Ian McKellan, became a spokeswoman for Jenny Craig, hosted a reality show called “Mr. Personality,” was a correspondent for a British news program and sold a line of handbags.
In 2005, she left the U.S. and moved to London, attending the London School of Economics and graduating with a masters in social psychology in 2006. Though she has given interviews on the subject of the Clinton affair, most notably in an HBO special titled “Monica in Black and White,” she has kept an extremely low profile in recent years.
‘Clinton’ is the latest in a series of in-depth documentaries PBS has produced over the years focusing on the careers of U.S. presidents. For those who can’t wait, PBS has made the first part of the documentary available on its website.
“Clinton,” the latest presidential profile by PBS’ American Experience, airs at what turns out to be a very good time.
These meticulously researched and artfully produced biographies — the two, two-hour episodes of “Clinton” will air Feb. 20-21 on AETN — are completed at a safe remove from the subject’s time in office. Insiders are more willing to talk. History has begun to firm up assessments. “Clinton” has more currency than normal thanks to the race for the Republican presidential nomination and Newt Gingrich’s emergence as a strong contender. Gingrich is a critical player in the second half of the Clinton biography. He led the political insurgency that gave Republicans a House majority and made Gingrich, however briefly, a near royal House speaker. You know, too, how it turned out. Clinton stared down a government shutdown, made Gingrich his poodle and survived the Republican coup attempt. Gingrich resigned amid an ethics scandal, but, like the president himself, has proven himself a “Comeback Kid.” As the documentary attests, his prior time in the limelight doesn’t argue for his presidency today.
And what of Clinton? It’s all there. The empathy, the energy, the appetite, the flaws, the triumphs. If the last happened to be more often political victories than historic achievements, the country did enjoy great prosperity and notable foreign policy achievements. Clinton gets credit even though he spent barely a day without
Republicans or a persecutorial prosecutor in hot pursuit. His triangulation of issues gets careful and properly critical examination — though it comes courtesy of too much explanatory air time for Dick Morris, the reptilian political adviser for whom Clinton had such a deep need.
Award-winning documentary director Barak Goodman concludes that Clinton found no triumph in surviving trial in the Senate, only a loss of the drive with which he began his presidency amid so much hope. If that’s so — and I’m not so sure — he regained his drive soon enough.
He began running, with some success, to be the most popular political figure in the world. He has been helped by a foundation doing nothing less than attempting to solve world hunger and disease. That was worth a documentary postscript, I think.
This documentary focuses more attention on the first lady than most, but Kenneth Starr (yes, he gave an interview) went after her just as hard, maybe harder, than he went after the president himself. She’s secretary of state, you might have heard. He’s president of a Bible college.
For Arkies: Lots of good TV footage and photos of the early years in Arkansas in the first installment.
Bill Clinton admits to having inappropriate relationship with Monica Lewinsky Uploaded by iconic on Nov 18, 2010 Bill Clinton admits to having inappropriate relationship with Monica Lewinsky. ______________________________ After the story I have some links to related posts. Bill Clinton Struggled to Deal With Lewinsky Affair, Film Says By Huma Khan | ABC News – Mon, Feb […]
Cato Institute gives Bill Clinton credit Spending Restraint, Part I: Lessons from Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton Uploaded by afq2007 on Feb 14, 2011 Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton both reduced the relative burden of government, largely because they were able to restrain the growth of domestic spending. The mini-documentary from the Center for Freedom […]
Bill Clinton said he always wanted to be like JFK. Earlier I posted about the recent claim of a White House intern who claimed to have a 18 month affair with JFK. Now I wanted to take a look back at the scandal in 1998 and I have included some info on Newt’s misdeeds and […]
The Laffer Curve, Part III: Dynamic Scoring A video by CF&P Foundation that builds on the discussion of theory in Part I and evidence in Part II, this concluding video in the series on the Laffer Curve explains how the Joint Committee on Taxation’s revenue-estimating process is based on the absurd theory that changes in […]
The Laffer Curve, Part II: Reviewing the Evidence This video reviews real-world evidence showing that changes in marginal tax rates can have a significant impact on taxable income, thus leading to substantial amounts of revenue feedback. In a few cases, tax-rate reductions even “pay for themselves,” though the key lesson is the more modest point […]
The Laffer Curve, Part I: Understanding the Theory The Laffer Curve charts a relationship between tax rates and tax revenue. While the theory behind the Laffer Curve is widely accepted, the concept has become very controversial because politicians on both sides of the debate exaggerate. This video shows the middle ground between those who claim […]
Uploaded by HeritageFoundation on Dec 16, 2010 http://blog.heritage.org/2010/12/16/new-video-pork-filled-spending-bill-just-… Despite promises from President Obama last year and again last month that he opposed reckless omnibus spending bills and earmarks, the White House and members of Congress are now supporting a reckless $1.1 trillion spending bill reportedly stuffed with roughly 6,500 earmarks. ________________________ Below you see an […]
Bill Clinton is funny, there is no doubt about that I first met Bill Clinton in 1983 in a small meeting in Little Rock at the Excelsior Hotel where he later had the run in with Paula Jones in May of 1991. Clinton was late for our meeting with 30 small business owners and he was very […]
President Bill Clinton’s Speech Oct 1, 2011 with Joshua & Anna at Little Rock Arkansas Uploaded by bdbaas1 on Oct 2, 2011 _______________________________ Recently while being critical of Lt. Governor Mark Darr, the liberal columnist John Brummett asserted, “Partisan debate is good, indeed vital. Partisan obstruction is not. And not knowing what you’re talking about […]
John Brummett enjoyed an evening of comedy at Republicans’ expense. Let me make two points here. First, Lorne Michaels who runs Saturday Night Live observed that it is Republicans that are better at laughing at the jokes directed to them than the Democrats. Many times Democrats get offended. Second, I laugh at all the jokes […]
Tennessee guard Trae Golden (11) shoots a layup during the first half against Arkansas at Thompson-Boling Arena Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012. (ADAM BRIMER/NEWS SENTINEL)
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I have to say that it was a sweet victory that the Hogs had over the Vols in football back in November. The history of Tennessee v. Arkansas football series had been one-sided towards the Vols, and my son Wilson and I traveled up to Fayetteville because we smelled a Hog victory coming.
This basketball game last night was a different case altogether. We got smoked from the first few minutes till the end of the game. I wish it could have been different but it wasn’t. Maybe the Hogs can get something going on the road during the last two games on the road(Auburn and Miss St). It appears that Tennessee has got something going and unless they hit a bump in the road they may be hard for the Hogs to pass up in the standings.
Tennessee head coach Cuonzo Martin calls a play during the first half against Arkansas at Thompson-Boling Arena Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012. (ADAM BRIMER/NEWS SENTINEL)
Tennessee played like a team that wanted to make a statement Wednesday night.
Arkansas got the Vols’ message, loud and clear.
“We feel like we can beat any team,” UT freshman Jarnell Stokes said. “We feel like we should win out. There’s no way we should lose any more games.”
The Vols displayed that sort of swagger from the onset, winning their fourth straight with a 77-58 men’s basketball victory over the Razorbacks before a crowd of 16,048 at Thompson-Boling Arena.
Arkansas head coach Mike Anderson calls to his players as they take on Tennessee during the first half at Thompson-Boling Arena Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012. (ADAM BRIMER/NEWS SENTINEL)
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The triumph moves UT (14-12, 6-5 SEC) into a tie for fourth place in the SEC with Mississippi State (19-7, 6-5).
Tennessee hit nine of its first 10 shots, fueling a 19-0 run that led to a 47-30 lead at the half. Arkansas (17-9, 5-6) didn’t get closer than 10 points for the rest of the game, falling to 0-8 on the road.
UT sophomore Jordan McRae came off the bench to score 14 points, as the Vols went to a four-guard lineup at times to effectively combat the Razorbacks’ pressure defense.
Tennessee forward Jordan McRae (52) shoots over Arkansas guard Rickey Scott (3) during the first half at Thompson-Boling Arena Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012. (ADAM BRIMER/NEWS SENTINEL)
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Arkansas abandoned its press, and UT finished with 14 turnovers while the Razorbacks had 18.
Tennessee played without junior center Kenny Hall, who Martin said has been suspended indefinitely for conduct detrimental to the team.
“You’ve got to do the right things on and off the court — that’s the bottom line,” said Martin, adding that Hall would neither practice nor travel with the team during his suspension.
Stokes started in Hall’s place, as the Vols used their fifth different lineup since the beginning of the SEC season, improving to 5-0 in those games.
Trae Golden scored 13 points and had seven assists, Skylar McBee and Jeronne Maymon each had 12 points, Cam Tatum had 11 points and nine rebounds, and Stokes finished with 10 points.
Tennessee forward Jarnell Stokes (5) shoots over Arkansas forward Hunter Mickelson (21) while guard Brandon Mitchell (25) defends during the first half at Thompson-Boling Arena Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012. (ADAM BRIMER/NEWS SENTINEL)
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“Our success starts with Trae Golden,” Vols coach Cuonzo Martin said. “He has done a really good job taking that leadership as the point guard and running the offense. He’s directing traffic, running the offense.
“Once he took that step and we became a better defensive team, I thought we had a chance to be pretty good.”
Golden left the game for a few minutes in the second half after twisting his ankle, but he returned to play and Martin said it won’t affect his status.
Arkansas, led by BJ Young’s 18 points, used a 6-1 run to close to 60-50 with 8:29 left on a Brandon Mitchell basket.
Tennessee guard Cameron Tatum (23) swipes the ball from Arkansas guard BJ Young (11) during the first half at Thompson-Boling Arena Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012. (ADAM BRIMER/NEWS SENTINEL)
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McBee, who was 4-of-7 shooting the three, answered with a 3-pointer as UT came back with a 14-3 run of its own to put the game out of reach.
The Vols hit 11 3-pointers — their most since connecting on 12 on Jan. 31, 2009, in a 61-60 win over Florida — and led by as many as 24 points in the first half when Stokes scored on a put-back to make it 47-23 at the 3:57 mark.
The Razorbacks closed the half on a 7-0 run to narrow the margin.
UT’s pivotal 19-0 run was triggered by a Tatum jumper at the 17:33 mark. Tatum closed the outburst, too, scoring on a drive at the 13:29 mark that made it 23-6.
“We’re getting a vibe for each other, a good chemistry for each other, how and where each person likes the ball,” said Tatum, who was 5-of-12 shooting. “We just have to keep playing for each other and playing collective defense.
“We’re in that groove right now.”
Tennessee returns to action at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday at Alabama (16-9, 5-6) in Coleman Coliseum.
The Crimson Tide has dropped two straight but is 10-3 at home this season and owns a 41-17 advantage over the Vols in Tuscaloosa.
Jeremy Lin Post Game Interview. Sacramento Kings Vs New York Knicks. February 15th 2012, 02/15/2012
10 Points, Career High 13 Assists in 27 minutes.
The Linsanity Continues…
Jeremy Lin Post Game Interview. Sacramento Kings Vs New York Knicks. February 15th 2012
Posted: 02/13/2012 12:55:25 PM MST
February 14, 2012 1:46 AM GMT Updated: 02/13/2012 06:46:42 PM MST
By Marcus Thompson II
When you see Jeremy Lin smiling on the court, tongue wagging, it’s not just because his New York Knicks have won five in a row. It’s not just because the Bay Area kid has become an out-of-nowhere national sensation, putting up big numbers night after night.
Lin is smiling, primarily, because he feels like he has been delivered.
“Sometimes you come up against a mountain and you end up making the mountain seem bigger than God,” said Lin, who spoke with this newspaper via phone on the condition that questions be limited to the issue of his spirituality.
Last year when he was playing for the Warriors, “I was on pins and needles. I was putting all this unnecessary pressure on myself. Now, I feel like I’m free
He can no longer stroll anonymously down the streets of New York, but Lin has found peace. He is bombarded with interview requests (even David Letterman got turned down), yet Lin is experiencing a sense of ease he’s never before felt.
His devout Christianity, bred at the Chinese Church in Christ in Mountain View, has been his guide since he was young. But Lin admits these last few months were a test unlike any before.
Sucker punched by the cold business of the NBA — playing for his third team in a year — Lin suffered in silence. Before he was the talk of the sports world, before he was crowned star of the Knicks, Lin was ridden with doubt and anxiety. So he doubled down on his commitment to God.
And without that, he believes, there would be no Lin-sanity.
What the country sees is a Cinderella story, Lin’s meteoric rise from the NBA Development League to unstoppable star. But for Lin, it’s a story of faith, the beautiful struggle he’s now convinced he can win. Most importantly, it’s a story of how he’ll be completely fine if he doesn’t.
“I’m not playing to prove anything to anybody,” Lin said. “That affected my game last year and my joy last year. With all the media attention, all the love from the fans (in the Bay Area), I felt I needed to prove myself. Prove that I’m not a marketing tool, I’m not a ploy to improve attendance. Prove I can play in this league. But I’ve surrendered that to God. I’m not in a battle with what everybody else thinks anymore.”
It took some time, some rough nights, long prayers and countless Bible studies. Lin confided in his pastor, Stephen Chen.
“It was hard. I could make him no promises,” Chen said. “To trust what God is doing is definitely a lesson that Jeremy is continuing to learn and not to trust in his results.”
The first body blow came Dec. 9. Disappointed in his rookie campaign, which saw him average 2.6 points in 9.8 minutes with the Warriors, Lin said he went all out during the offseason.
But before he ran a drill under new coach Mark Jackson, he was pulled from practice. General manager Larry Riley told Lin he was being waived for business reasons — the Warriors were making a play for the center they desperately needed and were forced to clear salary space.
That didn’t take away the sting.
Two days later, Lin hopped a plane to Houston with a heavy heart after they claimed him off waivers.
The fresh start didn’t do much to help Lin’s anguish. The Rockets had so many guards on the roster, Lin said he couldn’t get reps in practice. In two preseason games with Houston, he totaled 7 minutes, 51 seconds.
“At the time, I was thinking if this doesn’t work out, I maybe needed to take a break from basketball,” Lin said. “I put in four months of training. I felt like I worked harder than anyone else. And now I was fighting for a chance to practice. I was questioning everything.”
On Christmas Eve, it happened again. Lin was waived. Same deal — the team needed to release him so they could throw big money at a big man.
Lin headed back to the Bay Area defeated, but with a renewed purpose. He gave up trying to control everything. He tried to stop worrying.
He started every morning with a devotional before heading to the gym to work out. Whenever the anxiety tried to creep in, he whispered a Bible verse to himself:
And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to his purpose. — Romans 8:28
Even with the glittery trappings that can accompany an NBA lifestyle, Lin’s devoutness has always been his compass, friends say.
“In high school, a few of us were known to party on Friday nights after the games. Jeremy was known for teaching the bible to kids and spending time with his family,” said his Palo Alto High teammate Brad Lehman. “None of the usual distractions were an issue for him.”
Three days after being waived by the Rockets, Lin was picked up by the Knicks, just in time for him to join the team in the Bay Area. He suited up and made his Knicks debut at Oracle Arena, playing 1 minute, 27 seconds, missing his only shot.
Certainly no immediate signs of the Lin-sanity to come.
“I was playing garbage minutes the first two to three weeks,” Lin said. “There was definitely a little bit of “what’s going on?” in my prayers.
Lin was eventually sent back to the NBA’s hinterlands — the D-League — for the fourth time in his career. But he wouldn’t stay long. The Knicks brought him back after he logged a triple-double in his first game.
Then, on Feb. 4, at halftime of a home game against New Jersey, injured Knicks star Carmelo Anthony suggested to coach Mike D’Antoni that he play Lin more in the second half.
Lin responded by finishing with 25 points and seven assists in a win.
After that first big game, Lin became a starter. After the second one, he became the talk of the nation. After the third one, he was a Hall of Famer in the making.
“I know he’s a humble guy who works hard every day whether he’s playing 40 minutes or 4 minutes, so that will never change,” said Stephen Curry, his former Warriors teammate.
Now, the Knicks are 5-0 with Lin running the show. He’s gone from having a non-guaranteed minimum contract and sleeping on his brother’s couch to having America’s biggest market now concerned the Knicks can’t pay him enough to keep him.
But even Lin admits the constant struggle he faces. Deep inside he knows it is bigger than him.
“There is so much temptation to hold on to my career even more now,” Lin said. “To try to micromanage and dictate every little aspect. But that’s not how I want to do things anymore. I’m thinking about how can I trust God more. How can I surrender more? How can I bring him more glory?
“It’s a fight. But it’s one I’m going to keep fighting.”
Jeremy Lin – Knicks vs Kings FULL COMPLETE HIGHLIGHTS 2.15.12 HD ____________________ Jeremy Lin Post Game Interview. Sacramento Kings Vs New York Knicks. February 15th 2012 Uploaded by Smosharticles on Feb 15, 2012 Jeremy Lin Post Game Interview. Sacramento Kings Vs New York Knicks. February 15th 2012, 02/15/2012 10 Points, Career High 13 Assists in […]
Uploaded by doko0218 on Feb 15, 2012 Jeremy Lin Alley Oop To Landry Fields Knicks vs Kings _______________________ Jeremy Lin – Knicks vs Kings FULL COMPLETE HIGHLIGHTS 2.15.12 HD ____________________ Jeremy Lin Post Game Interview. Sacramento Kings Vs New York Knicks. February 15th 2012 Uploaded by Smosharticles on Feb 15, 2012 Jeremy Lin Post Game […]
Jeremy Lin 4th quarter highlights vs Raptors (GW 3pts.) || 2.14.12 || HD Uploaded by geraldd39 on Feb 14, 2012 Jeremy Lin hits the game-winner to lift Knicks over Raptors for their sixth straight win. _________________ Here is a portion of an interview with Jeremy Lin about his faith: Evangelical Portal The Faith and Fate […]
Jeremy Lin 4th quarter highlights vs Raptors (GW 3pts.) || 2.14.12 || HD Uploaded by geraldd39 on Feb 14, 2012 Jeremy Lin hits the game-winner to lift Knicks over Raptors for their sixth straight win. _________________ Here is a portion of an interview with Jeremy Lin about his faith: Evangelical Portal The Faith and Fate […]
Jeremy Lin 4th quarter highlights vs Raptors (GW 3pts.) || 2.14.12 || HD Uploaded by geraldd39 on Feb 14, 2012 Jeremy Lin hits the game-winner to lift Knicks over Raptors for their sixth straight win. _____________________ Here is a portion of an interview with Jeremy Lin about his faith: Evangelical Portal The Faith and Fate […]
Jeremy Lin 4th quarter highlights vs Raptors (GW 3pts.) || 2.14.12 || HD Uploaded by geraldd39 on Feb 14, 2012 Jeremy Lin hits the game-winner to lift Knicks over Raptors for their sixth straight win. _____________________ (Here are some links to other fine articles on Jeremy’s faith.) Another article on Jeremy Lin’s faith: The God […]
I have not hesitated to say before how much I admire Tim Tebow. Well I am becoming a fan of Jeremy Lin too. New York Knicks: Why Jeremy Lin Will Become the Tim Tebow of the NBA Chris Trotman/Getty Images Amid the smoke and rubble of the New York Knicks’ season, a man, a […]
Jenny McCarthy I noticed that Rosie introduced Jenny McCarthy to Tim Tebow and Tebow was polite and exchanged numbers after Rosie demanded it. However, everyone knows that Tebow is an evangelical Christian who believes the Bible is his guide for living and there is a scripture which forbids Christians from dating non-Christians. Wikipedia reports that McCarthy has […]
Tim Tebow Interview: God’s role in Football Published on Feb 3, 2012 by ESPN Tim Tebow talks to Skip Bayless about religion, Tebowing and the role God plays on and off the field. _______________________________ This is a story I got off Buster Wilson’s blog: The Gospel According to Tebow A selection of the biblical verses […]
Tom Brady “More than this…” Uploaded by EdenWorshipCenter on Jan 22, 2008 EWC sermon illustration showing a clip from the 2005 Tom Brady 60 minutes interview. To Download this video copy the URL to www.vixy.net Below you will see several video clips. Evidently despite all the super bowl rings Brady is still looking for true satisfaction, and Danny […]
This is a RUSH transcript from “The O’Reilly Factor,” June 3, 2011. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated JUAN WILLIAMS, FOX NEWS GUEST HOST: In the “Back of the Book” segment tonight, Tim Tebow is a quarterback for the Denver Broncos and a man of deep faith. That faith […]
Tim Tebow’s faith (Part 1) I really respect Tim Tebow and I wanted to pass along an article that defends him. Tim Tebow, Faith and Blasphemy Culture, Evangelicals, Featured, Protestant, Religion, Sports — By J.F. Arnold on August 17, 2011 at 5:05 am I won’t pretend to be an expert in the world of sports. I can tell you if a given team […]
I think the world of the character of Tim Tebow. Tim Tebow played well in a reserve role Sunday, but did he play himself into a starting quarterback job? Well, Tebow’s loyal fanbase certainly thinks so after the former Heisman Trophy winner tried to rally the Denver Broncos, even though they ended up losing to […]
I am thrilled to get the chance to share the following article with you today. I got a call from Tim Keown who is a writer for ESPN Magazine a few days ago. He had read a post from my blog on Tim Tebow and wanted to ask me some questions. One of my answers […]
Tim Tebow’s Faith (Part 3) Another look at the faith of Tim Tebow. Q & A: Tim Tebow on Faith, Fame, & Football The NFL athlete reflects on his outspoken faith, whether athletes should attribute their wins to God, and moving from the Focus on the Family ad to Jockey ads. Interview by Sarah Pulliam […]
It is clear to me that Tim Tebow is trusting in the Lord and he does not want to get discouraged by the world’s negativity. However, I do not think that he believes that if you have faith then you will become rich and everything you do will bring success as the world thinks of […]
Why not pass the Balanced Budget Amendment? As you know that federal deficit is at all time high (1.6 trillion deficit with revenues of 2.2 trillion and spending at 3.8 trillion).
On my blog www.HaltingArkansasLiberalswithTruth.com I took you at your word and sent you over 100 emails with specific spending cut ideas. However, I did not see any of them in the recent debt deal that Congress adopted. Now I am trying another approach. Every week from now on I will send you an email explaining different reasons why we need the Balanced Budget Amendment. It will appear on my blog on “Thirsty Thursday” because the government is always thirsty for more money to spend.
No objective is more important for the new Congress than putting America on course toward a balanced federal budget. We used to balance our budget regularly but, except for a short period during the late 1990’s, Congress has been unable to accomplish what should be a clear-cut mission. Americans understand that deficit spending may be unavoidable in wartime or in a Katrina-like emergency, but we also believe that in the absence of these events, there is no excuse for irresponsibly increasing our national debt.
Unfortunately, our national agenda no longer seems to include a balanced budget. President Obama established a national debt commission (whose report I will address in a future column), but that was only after cranking up federal expenditures and deficits to previously unseen levels.
We all know that the big enchiladas in the Federal budget are Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, and national defense. That still leaves a lot of money to be saved elsewhere, yet even these opportunities are far too often belittled by elitists. For example, Jackie Calmes, a New York Times reporter, wrote that while there is general agreement on an earmark ban, “… [it] would hardly dent the projected annual deficits.” Paul Krugman, her colleague at the Times and the current economic guru of the left, routinely dismisses any savings at all, his most recent tantrum being Obama’s proposal for a two-year freeze on pay raises. He states “The actual savings, about $5 billion over two years, are chump change given the scale of the deficit.” These are two examples that occurred within days – and I could probably cite hundreds more, from both sides of the aisle.
The United States has a budget crisis that should be met by expenditure reductions, but our government has acted only with foolishness and cowardice. Let’s say your employer came to you and said “Look, the company is struggling, but I can keep you on if we reduce your annual salary from $80,000 to $70,000.” You would go home, sit down with your spouse, and figure out where you can start saving money. You could skip the Saturday night movies and join Netflix. You could learn to live without HBO. You could stop getting water delivered to the house. The bottom line is that you would adjust your expenditures because you have no choice; after all, you can’t print money or sell bonds to your neighbors. Not even to China.
What our government is doing has been going on for hundreds of years, ever since the Rothschilds made their fortune lending monies to the monarchies of Europe, and it has become an international problem of gargantuan proportions. Political leaders all over the world are making fiscal promises that they cannot keep, and this irresponsible practice has exploded in the past seventy-five years with the advent of left-wing, socialist governments. Overspending has become so pervasive that our society makes fun of it. In his recent HBO special, Dennis Miller spoke about not understanding the deficit. Miller said that he asked his son if he was upset that his generation would be saddled with the national debt. His son replied “Christ no Dad, I’m just going to saddle my kids with it.” It was good for a laugh – but Miller would never force his own kids to pay his credit card bills.
Virtually every parent I have ever met worries about what will be left for their children or grandchildren when they die. These people understand that it is immoral and sinful to leave their kids a pile of debt. Yet when it comes to the government – for which we are all responsible – people perceive it as some amorphous entity that can merrily spend more each year than it takes in without any consequences. They believe government, apparently, can pay for everything.
And unfortunately we do. Prodded by spineless and corrupt politicians who consider power far more important than responsibility, government has become the fixer of all our problems. People can live in a flood plain without insurance and then get paid by the government to rebuild in that same flood plain only to be wiped out again in the next flood. Every challenge that we have in this country is being discussed by a commission that lasts forever without ever solving the problem. Responsible Americans put their hand out when they hear of a government program because they rationalize they want their share, and if they don’t get it now someone else will. The sense of communal cost has disappeared.
The numbers are staggering. If the U.S. government had to employ the same accounting standards used by major corporations, it would report an annual deficit between $4 and $5 trillion. 41% of our current federal expenditures are paid for by borrowing money, and by 2015, America will be about $20 trillion in debt.
Our elected officials must face these facts, along with the immoral and pathetic aspects of their reckless behavior. Polls that say that taxpayers demand certain things need to be disregarded, and responsible leaders with some backbone must instead broadcast the simple truth: The jig is up and we need to reverse course. You cannot have everything you want. You can have Social Security, but you should expect less and start saving for yourself more. Medicare will help with your retirement healthcare, but you should have something saved for that as well. If you have a catastrophe, you’d better have an insurance policy because we cannot guarantee every one of your risks. And if your parents get ill in their old age, you’d better be prepared to take care of them just as they took care of you.
Saddling our kids with more and more debt is just plain wrong. The debt is bad enough now and we need to stop it from getting worse. The time is now and this Congress was elected to do just that thing.
Bruce Bialosky
Bruce Bialosky is the founder of the Republican Jewish Coalition of California and a former Presidential appointee.
Jeremy Lin Post Game Interview. Sacramento Kings Vs New York Knicks. February 15th 2012, 02/15/2012
10 Points, Career High 13 Assists in 27 minutes.
The Linsanity Continues…
Jeremy Lin Post Game Interview. Sacramento Kings Vs New York Knicks. February 15th 2012
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Below is an interview with Jeremy Lin’s pastor from Feb 14, 2012:
Host: Basketball sensation Jeremy Lin is in the national spotlight, after going from bench-warmer for the New York Knicks to leading the team in a series of big wins. The Palo Alto native is a devout Christian and his parents, who are Taiwanese, belong to Mountain View’s Redeemer Bible Fellowship, the English language ministry of the Chinese Church in Christ. Lin’s pastor, Stephen Chen, says while things may have changed dramatically in Lin’s life recently, one thing remains the same–his quiet but intense Christian faith.
Mina Kim: Fans may be flocking to twenty three year-old basketball sensation Jeremy Lin but according to Stephen Chen his hometown pastor and mentor, Lin plays for an audience of one.
Chen: He attempts to play for his God, and to honor him and glorify him.
Kim: Chen is pastor of Redeemer Bible Fellowship, the English language ministry of the Chinese Church in Christ in Mountain View. Chen says he met Lin when Lin was in the eighth grade.
Chen: He must have been 5’2″, I don’t know 5’4″ something like that, and I remember him saying one day I’m going to be over six feet and I’m going to play basketball, and going to dunk.
Kim: Lin’s parents are Taiwanese engineers who are 5’6″.
Chen: And so I asked him how are you going to do it and he said I’m going to drink milk every day, and I’m going to eat calcium pills everyday, and it’s going to happen and sure enough he’s over six feet tall and he’s playing in the NBA.
NBA announcer: Lin likes the open floor, spinning, puts it up and banks it in sensational play for Jeremy Lin…
Kim: Lin has scored at least 20 points in five straight games, all ending in Knicks victories. And a common point he makes in interviews, besides to thank God, is that he didn’t do it alone.
Lin: I wish that people would give a lot of the other players on this team a lot more credit, I think there’s too much attention coming my way.
Kim: So how did Lin’s faith figure in his do-or-die moment — when he entered the starting lineup for the first time? Lin’s pastor Stephen Chen says he was ready and explains it this way.
Chen: You know what, I think his genetic make-up, the way that god has knit him in his mother’s womb, is that he’s an athlete, and he takes pleasure in that way that God has made him.
Kim: Chen talked to Lin last week, just before Lin scored thirty-eight points against the Lakers.
Chen: Obviously, he’s overwhelmed by a lot of people demanding his time, pulling him in a lot of different directions, he understands that at any moment he can go from hero to zero.
Kim: By one statistical analysis, that’s not likely. Nate Silver of The New York Times looked at all of the 40 or so NBA players with streaks similar to Lin’s and found that they usually enjoy long-term success.
But Chen says he’s not worried about Lin if his success fades. He says Lin feels that whatever comes is part of God’s plan.
Chen: One time people did show up at our church because they wanted autographs and pictures with Jeremy, but Jeremy would have nothing to do with it. He understood that our time together on Sundays was where God takes central place.
Kim: And already, Chen says, Lin’s openness about his faith is inspiring other Asian-American youth to do likewise; something Chen says is not always easy in the Bay Area.
Chen: To be bold in declaring something like this, where one can be labeled as narrow-minded, it is hard.
Kim: Jeremy Lin plays again Tuesday against the Toronto Raptors.
Jeremy Lin – Knicks vs Kings FULL COMPLETE HIGHLIGHTS 2.15.12 HD ____________________ Jeremy Lin Post Game Interview. Sacramento Kings Vs New York Knicks. February 15th 2012 Uploaded by Smosharticles on Feb 15, 2012 Jeremy Lin Post Game Interview. Sacramento Kings Vs New York Knicks. February 15th 2012, 02/15/2012 10 Points, Career High 13 Assists in […]
Uploaded by doko0218 on Feb 15, 2012 Jeremy Lin Alley Oop To Landry Fields Knicks vs Kings _______________________ Jeremy Lin – Knicks vs Kings FULL COMPLETE HIGHLIGHTS 2.15.12 HD ____________________ Jeremy Lin Post Game Interview. Sacramento Kings Vs New York Knicks. February 15th 2012 Uploaded by Smosharticles on Feb 15, 2012 Jeremy Lin Post Game […]
Jeremy Lin 4th quarter highlights vs Raptors (GW 3pts.) || 2.14.12 || HD Uploaded by geraldd39 on Feb 14, 2012 Jeremy Lin hits the game-winner to lift Knicks over Raptors for their sixth straight win. _________________ Here is a portion of an interview with Jeremy Lin about his faith: Evangelical Portal The Faith and Fate […]
Jeremy Lin 4th quarter highlights vs Raptors (GW 3pts.) || 2.14.12 || HD Uploaded by geraldd39 on Feb 14, 2012 Jeremy Lin hits the game-winner to lift Knicks over Raptors for their sixth straight win. _________________ Here is a portion of an interview with Jeremy Lin about his faith: Evangelical Portal The Faith and Fate […]
Jeremy Lin 4th quarter highlights vs Raptors (GW 3pts.) || 2.14.12 || HD Uploaded by geraldd39 on Feb 14, 2012 Jeremy Lin hits the game-winner to lift Knicks over Raptors for their sixth straight win. _____________________ Here is a portion of an interview with Jeremy Lin about his faith: Evangelical Portal The Faith and Fate […]
Jeremy Lin 4th quarter highlights vs Raptors (GW 3pts.) || 2.14.12 || HD Uploaded by geraldd39 on Feb 14, 2012 Jeremy Lin hits the game-winner to lift Knicks over Raptors for their sixth straight win. _____________________ (Here are some links to other fine articles on Jeremy’s faith.) Another article on Jeremy Lin’s faith: The God […]
I have not hesitated to say before how much I admire Tim Tebow. Well I am becoming a fan of Jeremy Lin too. New York Knicks: Why Jeremy Lin Will Become the Tim Tebow of the NBA Chris Trotman/Getty Images Amid the smoke and rubble of the New York Knicks’ season, a man, a […]
Jenny McCarthy I noticed that Rosie introduced Jenny McCarthy to Tim Tebow and Tebow was polite and exchanged numbers after Rosie demanded it. However, everyone knows that Tebow is an evangelical Christian who believes the Bible is his guide for living and there is a scripture which forbids Christians from dating non-Christians. Wikipedia reports that McCarthy has […]
Tim Tebow Interview: God’s role in Football Published on Feb 3, 2012 by ESPN Tim Tebow talks to Skip Bayless about religion, Tebowing and the role God plays on and off the field. _______________________________ This is a story I got off Buster Wilson’s blog: The Gospel According to Tebow A selection of the biblical verses […]
Tom Brady “More than this…” Uploaded by EdenWorshipCenter on Jan 22, 2008 EWC sermon illustration showing a clip from the 2005 Tom Brady 60 minutes interview. To Download this video copy the URL to www.vixy.net Below you will see several video clips. Evidently despite all the super bowl rings Brady is still looking for true satisfaction, and Danny […]
This is a RUSH transcript from “The O’Reilly Factor,” June 3, 2011. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated JUAN WILLIAMS, FOX NEWS GUEST HOST: In the “Back of the Book” segment tonight, Tim Tebow is a quarterback for the Denver Broncos and a man of deep faith. That faith […]
Tim Tebow’s faith (Part 1) I really respect Tim Tebow and I wanted to pass along an article that defends him. Tim Tebow, Faith and Blasphemy Culture, Evangelicals, Featured, Protestant, Religion, Sports — By J.F. Arnold on August 17, 2011 at 5:05 am I won’t pretend to be an expert in the world of sports. I can tell you if a given team […]
I think the world of the character of Tim Tebow. Tim Tebow played well in a reserve role Sunday, but did he play himself into a starting quarterback job? Well, Tebow’s loyal fanbase certainly thinks so after the former Heisman Trophy winner tried to rally the Denver Broncos, even though they ended up losing to […]
I am thrilled to get the chance to share the following article with you today. I got a call from Tim Keown who is a writer for ESPN Magazine a few days ago. He had read a post from my blog on Tim Tebow and wanted to ask me some questions. One of my answers […]
Tim Tebow’s Faith (Part 3) Another look at the faith of Tim Tebow. Q & A: Tim Tebow on Faith, Fame, & Football The NFL athlete reflects on his outspoken faith, whether athletes should attribute their wins to God, and moving from the Focus on the Family ad to Jockey ads. Interview by Sarah Pulliam […]
It is clear to me that Tim Tebow is trusting in the Lord and he does not want to get discouraged by the world’s negativity. However, I do not think that he believes that if you have faith then you will become rich and everything you do will bring success as the world thinks of […]
Over the past several years, President Barack Obama has repeatedly claimed that America is not a Christian nation. He asserted that while a U. S. Senator, 1 repeated it as a presidential candidate, 2 and on a recent presidential trip to Turkey announced to the world that Americans “do not consider ourselves a Christian nation.” 3 (He made that announcement in Turkey because he said it was “a location he said he chose to send a clear message.” 4 ) Then preceding a subsequent trip to Egypt, he declared that America was “one of the largest Muslim countries in the world” 5 (even though the federal government’s own statistics show that less than one-percent of Americans are Muslims. 6
The President’s statements were publicized across the world but received little attention in the American media. Had they been carried here, the President might have been surprised to learn that nearly two-thirds of Americans currently consider America to be a Christian nation 7 and therefore certainly might have taken exception with his remarks. But regardless of what today’s Americans might think, it is unquestionable that four previous centuries of American leaders would definitely take umbrage with the President’s statements.
Modern claims that America is not a Christian nation are rarely noticed or refuted today because of the nation’s widespread lack of knowledge about America’s history and foundation. To help provide the missing historical knowledge necessary to combat today’s post-modern revisionism, presented below will be some statements by previous presidents, legislatures, and courts (as well as by current national Jewish spokesmen) about America being a Christian nation. These declarations from all three branches of government are representative of scores of others and therefore comprise only the proverbial “tip of the iceberg.”
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The Judicial Branch Affirms that America is a Christian Nation
From the Judicial Branch, consider first some declarations of prominent U. S. Supreme Court Justices regarding America as a Christian nation.
Justice Joseph Story (1779-1845) was appointed to the Court by President James Madison. Story is considered the founder of Harvard Law School and authored the three-volume classic Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States (1833). In his 34 years on the Court, Story authored opinions in 286 cases, of which 269 were reported as the majority opinion or the opinion of the Court 31 and his many contributions to American law have caused him to be called a “Father of American Jurisprudence.” Justice Story openly declared:
One of the beautiful boasts of our municipal jurisprudence is that Christianity is a part of the Common Law. . . . There never has been a period in which the Common Law did not recognize Christianity as lying at its foundations. . . . I verily believe Christianity necessary to the support of civil society. 32
His conclusion about America and Christianity was straightforward:
In [our] republic, there would seem to be a peculiar propriety in viewing the Christian religion as the great basis on which it must rest for its support and permanence. 33
Justice John McLean (1785-1861) was appointed to the Court by President Andrew Jackson. McLean served in the U. S. Congress, as a judge on the Ohio Supreme Court, and then held cabinet positions under two U. S. Presidents. His view on the importance of Christianity to American government and its institutions was unambiguous:
For many years, my hope for the perpetuity of our institutions has rested upon Bible morality and the general dissemination of Christian principles. This is an element which did not exist in the ancient republics. It is a basis on which free governments may be maintained through all time. . . . Free government is not a self-moving machine. . . . Our mission of freedom is not carried out by brute force, by canon law, or any other law except the moral law and those Christian principles which are found in the Scriptures. 34
Justice David Brewer (1837-1910), appointed to the Court by President Benjamin Harrison, agreed. Brewer held several judgeships in Kansas and served on a federal circuit court before his appointment to the Supreme Court. Justice Brewer declared:
We constantly speak of this republic as a Christian nation – in fact, as the leading Christian nation of the world. 35
Brewer then chronicled the types of descriptions applied to nations:
We classify nations in various ways: as, for instance, by their form of government. One is a kingdom, another an empire, and still another a republic. Also by race. Great Britain is an Anglo-Saxon nation, France a Gallio, Germany a Teutonic, Russia a Slav. And still again by religion. One is a Mohammedan nation, others are heathen, and still others are Christian nations. This republic is classified among the Christian nations of the world. It was so formally declared by the Supreme Court of the United States. In the case of Holy Trinity Church vs. United States, 143 U.S. 471, that Court, after mentioning various circumstances, added, “these and many other matters which might be noticed, add a volume of unofficial declarations to the mass of organic utterances that this is a Christian nation.” 36
Brewer did not believe that calling America a Christian nation was a hollow appellation; in fact, he penned an entire book setting forth the evidence that America was a Christian nation. He concluded:
[I] have said enough to show that Christianity came to this country with the first colonists; has been powerfully identified with its rapid development, colonial and national, and today exists as a mighty factor in the life of the republic. This is a Christian nation. . . . [T]he calling of this republic a Christian nation is not a mere pretence, but a recognition of an historical, legal, and social truth. 37
Justice Earl Warren (1891-1974) agreed with his predecessors. Before being appointed as Chief Justice of the U. S. Supreme Court by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Warren had been the Attorney General of California. Warren declared:
I believe the entire Bill of Rights came into being because of the knowledge our forefathers had of the Bible and their belief in it: freedom of belief, of expression, of assembly, of petition, the dignity of the individual, the sanctity of the home, equal justice under law, and the reservation of powers to the people. . . . I like to believe we are living today in the spirit of the Christian religion. I like also to believe that as long as we do so, no great harm can come to our country. 38
There are many similar declarations by other Supreme Court Justices, but in addition to the declarations of individual judges, the federal courts have repeatedly affirmed America to be a Christian nation – including the U. S. Supreme Court, which declared that America was “a Christian country,” 39filled with “Christian people,” 40 and was indeed “a Christian nation.” 41Dozens of other courts past and present have repeated these pronouncements 42 but so, too, have American Presidents – as in 1947 when President Harry Truman quoted the Supreme Court, declaring:
This is a Christian Nation. More than a half century ago that declaration was written into the decrees of the highest court in this land [in an 1892 decision]. 43
In addition to its “Christian nation” declarations, the Supreme Court also regularly relied on Christian principles as the basis of its rulings on issues such as marriage, citizenship, foreign affairs, and domestic treaties.
For example, when some federal territories attempted to introduce the practice of bigamy and polygamy, the Supreme Court disallowed those practices because:
Bigamy and polygamy are crimes by the laws of all civilized and Christian countries. 44
In another case, the Court similarly explained:
The organization of a community for the spread and practice of polygamy is . . . . contrary to the spirit of Christianity and of the civilization which Christianity has produced in the Western world. 45
And when the issue arose of whether marriages made in foreign nations would be recognized in the United States, the federal court held that foreign marriages would be recognized only if they were not “contrary to the general view of Christendom.” 46
The Supreme Court also decided military service issues in accord with Christian principles and standards. For example, in 1931, when a Canadian immigrant refused to take the oath of allegiance to the United States, the Supreme Court explained why he was therefore excluded from citizenship:
We are a Christian people (Holy Trinity Church v. United States. 143 U.S. 457, 470 , 471 S., 12 S. Ct. 511), according to one another the equal right of religious freedom and acknowledging with reverence the duty of obedience to the will of God. But also we are a nation with the duty to survive; a nation whose Constitution contemplates war as well as peace; whose government must go forward upon the assumption (and safely can proceed upon no other) that unqualified allegiance to the nation and submission and obedience to the laws of the land, as well those made for war as those made for peace, are not inconsistent with the will of God. 47
The Supreme Court also relied on Christian principles in its rulings on international policies. For example, if an American citizen living in a foreign land was accused of a crime under the laws of a fundamentally different nation (such as in Islamic nations, secular nations, and most recently in Japan following World War II), by means of international treaties, the U. S. citizen would be tried in front of the U. S. Consul in that nation (in what were called Consular Tribunals) rather than before the courts of that country. Of this practice, the Supreme Court explained:
In other than Christian countries, they [the Consuls] were by treaty stipulations usually clothed with authority to hear complaints against their countrymen and to sit in judgment upon them when charged with public offenses. . . . The intense hostility of the people of Moslem faith to all other sects, and particularly to Christians, affected all their intercourse [transactions] and all proceedings had in their tribunals. Even the rules of evidence adopted by them [the Muslims] placed those of different faith on unequal grounds in any controversy with them. For this cause, and by reason of the barbarous and cruel punishments inflicted in those countries and the frequent use of torture to enforce confession from parties accused, it was a matter of deep interest to Christian governments to withdraw the trial of their subjects, when charged with the commission of a public offense, from the arbitrary and despotic action of the local officials. Treaties conferring such jurisdiction upon these consuls were essential to the peaceful residence of Christians within those countries. 48
For example, an Islamic nation might charge an American with the capital-offense crime of blasphemy merely because the American attended Christian worship or used a Bible in that country; or a secular nation might accuse an American of the crime of proselytizing simply for sharing his faith with another (currently a crime in France, 49 across India, 50 Pakistan,51 Saudi Arabia, 52 Malaysia, 53 and many other nations). In such cases, the Consul tried the offense under America’s laws as a Christian nation. However, if another nation accused an American of a crime such as murder, the charge would stand since murder was also a crime in our Christian nation. 54
The Supreme Court commended this position 55 and federal courts observed the policy until deep into the twentieth century, 56 when many foreign nations finally began to adopt what the Supreme Court had earlier called “a system of judicial procedure like that of Christian countries.” 57
Federal domestic treaties were yet another area in which the federal judiciary relied on Christian principles and standards. For example, by 1877 a number of disputes had arisen in which Indian lands were wrongly being taken for timber, minerals, and other resources. When those cases reached the Supreme Court, the Court affirmed the occupancy rights of the tribes to the lands because:
It is to be presumed that in this matter the United States would be governed by such considerations of justice as would control a Christian people . . . 58
The Court repeated this position on numerous subsequent occasions – as in 1903 when it reiterated:
[I]n decisions of this court, the Indian right of occupancy of tribal lands, whether declared in a treaty or otherwise created, has been stated to be sacred. . . . Thus. . . . “It is to be presumed that in this matter the United States would be governed by such considerations of justice as would control a Christian people . . . ” 59
The Court’s position was subsequently enacted into federal statutory law in 1906, 60 and in 1955, the Supreme Court was still praising this position 61 – a position regularly cited by other courts for decades, 62 including in the late 1990s. 63
These are just a few examples of the literally hundreds of similar cases at both federal and state levels affirming that America is indeed a Christian nation.
32. Joseph Story, Life and Letters of Joseph Story, William W. Story, editor (Boston: Charles C. Little and James Brown, 1851), Vol. II, pp. 8, 92. (Return)
33. Joseph Story, Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States(Boston: Hillard, Gray, and Company, 1833), Vol. III, p. 724, § 1867. (Return)
34. B. F. Morris, Christian Life and Character of the Civil Institutions of the United States, Developed in the Official and Historical Annals of the Republic(Philadelphia: George W. Childs, 1864), p. 639. (Return)
35. David J. Brewer, The United States: A Christian Nation (Philadelphia: John C. Winston Company, 1905), p. 12. (Return)
36. David J. Brewer, The United States: A Christian Nation (Philadelphia: John C. Winston Company, 1905), p. 11. (Return)
37. David J. Brewer, The United States: A Christian Nation (Philadelphia: John C. Winston Company, 1905), pp. 40, 46. (Return)
39. Vidal v. Girard’s Executors, 43 U. S. 126, 198 (1844). (Return)
40. U.S. v. Macintosh, 283 U.S. 605, 625 (1931). (Return)
41. Church of the Holy Trinity v. U. S., 143 U. S. 457, 465, 470-471 (1892).(Return)
42. See for example, Warren v. U.S., 177 F.2d 596 (10th Cir. 1949); U.S. v. Girouard, 149 F.2d 760 (1st Cir.1945); Steiner v. Darby, Parker v. Los Angeles County, 199 P.2d 429 (Cal. App. 2d Dist 1948); Vogel v. County of Los Angeles, 434 P.2d 961 (1967). (Return)
54. Ross v. McIntyre, 140 U.S. 453 (1891). (Return)
55. See, for example, Kinsella v. Krueger, 351 U.S. 470 (1956); Reid v. Covert, 354 U.S. 1 (1957). (Return)
56. See, for example, U.S. v. Best, 76 F. Supp. 857 (D. Mass. 1948); U.S. v. Robertson, Court of Military Appeals (May 27, 1955); U.S. v. Tiede, 86 F.R.D. 227, 1979 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13805 (D. Berlin Mar. 14, 1979); and many others.(Return)
57. Ross v. McIntyre, 140 U.S. 453, 480 (1891). (Return)
58. Beecher v. Wetherby, 95 U.S. 517, 525 (1877). (Return)
59. Lone Wolf v. Hitchcock, 187 U.S. 553, 565 (1903). See also the same language in Yankton Sioux Tribe of Indians v. U. S., 272 US 351 (1926); U. S. v. Choctaw Nation, 179 U.S. 494 (1900); Atlantic & P R Co v. Mingus, 165 U.S. 413 (1897); Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway Company v. Roberts, 152 U.S. 114 (1894); Buttz v. Northern Pac. R. Co., 119 U.S. 55 (1886). (Return)
As an Asian-American, this basketball phenom at Harvard is blazing a trail. As a Christian, he’s striving to walk in faith.
By, March 03, 2010
An Interview with Jeremy Lin
Jeremy Lin was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, and led his basketball team at Palo Alto High School to the state championships in his senior year. At Harvard University, Lin has built a national following, has been hailed as one of the finest point guards in the nation, and stands poised to enter the NBA as a high draft pick and the first Asian-American to achieve prominence in the NBA.
Lin is among those receiving the highest number of votes for the Bob Cousy award, given annually to the nation’s most effective point guard. He has been profiled in Time, Sports Illustrated and ESPN: The Magazine, as well as countless basketball magazines and newspapers from the United States to China.
He spoke with Timothy Dalrymple in his dorm room at Harvard University.
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Everyone who steps on a basketball court will hear taunts and insults. Yet racial slurs are another matter, and you have had to confront them regularly throughout your career, as the first Asian-American to reach this level. Do you find it particularly difficult to respond in grace when racial slurs are used?
I’m naturally competitive and cocky. I love proving people wrong. I love competing. When I first started hearing those remarks, I would always want to say something back, or to play well to get them back. As I grew older, I realized that I shouldn’t allow that stuff to effect me, and at the same time I shouldn’t retaliate. I shouldn’t say anything back. So at this point, now, this year, it hasn’t really bothered me. It’s just something I’m used to now, and it’s a good opportunity to reflect the grace of God when you don’t say anything back, or when you’re really respectful in return. That says something powerful.
We’ve talked about how your faith shapes your approach to basketball. But how has basketball shaped your faith? Has God used basketball to shape your character, to teach you, to strengthen you?
Absolutely. I’ve learned so many things through basketball, and God has really molded me and tested and affirmed my faith through basketball. Given my experiences, if I look back at everything that’s happened, it’s hard for me not to trust God and know that he has a perfect plan for me.
In a sense, it’s easy for me. Since I’ve been given so much through basketball, it’s easier for me to be thankful to God. But at the same time, basketball has humbled me a great deal. The more I play, the more I realize that the outcome is less up to me, and there’s less I can control.
But there’s so much more, so many lessons God has taught me through basketball-everything from pride to self-control to worth ethic and love and unselfishness.
You mention humility. How could it be that God has used basketball to humble you, when you’ve achieved so much? Wouldn’t your basketball successes only make you more prideful?
No, it really is humbling. You might be able to relate to this, since you were a gymnast. There are times when I’m out there on the basketball court and it feels like I’m not even controlling my own body. It’s almost as though someone else is using me as a puppet. There are things I do, that, when I look at them afterwards, I wonder how I did that. In moments like that, I realize that there is something more to what’s happening around me, something supernatural about it.
It’s also humbling in another way. When I won that state championship with Palo Alto High School, well, we would talk about winning the title. Deep down inside, though, you’re not fully expecting the victory because only one team in the entire state can win it. So, to be able to be there at that point in that tournament, to have that opportunity, I was, more than anything, just grateful. There were so many things that had to happen just perfectly. Tiny differences could have taken us out of contention for a championship.
The other reason that athletic success can be humbling is because, even after you win a state championship, it’s not as fulfilling as you had thought it would be. That’s humbling, too, and it says something about the way we chase after materialistic and worldly things.
Jeremy Lin – Knicks vs Kings FULL COMPLETE HIGHLIGHTS 2.15.12 HD ____________________ Jeremy Lin Post Game Interview. Sacramento Kings Vs New York Knicks. February 15th 2012 Uploaded by Smosharticles on Feb 15, 2012 Jeremy Lin Post Game Interview. Sacramento Kings Vs New York Knicks. February 15th 2012, 02/15/2012 10 Points, Career High 13 Assists in […]
Uploaded by doko0218 on Feb 15, 2012 Jeremy Lin Alley Oop To Landry Fields Knicks vs Kings _______________________ Jeremy Lin – Knicks vs Kings FULL COMPLETE HIGHLIGHTS 2.15.12 HD ____________________ Jeremy Lin Post Game Interview. Sacramento Kings Vs New York Knicks. February 15th 2012 Uploaded by Smosharticles on Feb 15, 2012 Jeremy Lin Post Game […]
Jeremy Lin 4th quarter highlights vs Raptors (GW 3pts.) || 2.14.12 || HD Uploaded by geraldd39 on Feb 14, 2012 Jeremy Lin hits the game-winner to lift Knicks over Raptors for their sixth straight win. _________________ Here is a portion of an interview with Jeremy Lin about his faith: Evangelical Portal The Faith and Fate […]
Jeremy Lin 4th quarter highlights vs Raptors (GW 3pts.) || 2.14.12 || HD Uploaded by geraldd39 on Feb 14, 2012 Jeremy Lin hits the game-winner to lift Knicks over Raptors for their sixth straight win. _________________ Here is a portion of an interview with Jeremy Lin about his faith: Evangelical Portal The Faith and Fate […]
Jeremy Lin 4th quarter highlights vs Raptors (GW 3pts.) || 2.14.12 || HD Uploaded by geraldd39 on Feb 14, 2012 Jeremy Lin hits the game-winner to lift Knicks over Raptors for their sixth straight win. _____________________ Here is a portion of an interview with Jeremy Lin about his faith: Evangelical Portal The Faith and Fate […]
Jeremy Lin 4th quarter highlights vs Raptors (GW 3pts.) || 2.14.12 || HD Uploaded by geraldd39 on Feb 14, 2012 Jeremy Lin hits the game-winner to lift Knicks over Raptors for their sixth straight win. _____________________ (Here are some links to other fine articles on Jeremy’s faith.) Another article on Jeremy Lin’s faith: The God […]
I have not hesitated to say before how much I admire Tim Tebow. Well I am becoming a fan of Jeremy Lin too. New York Knicks: Why Jeremy Lin Will Become the Tim Tebow of the NBA Chris Trotman/Getty Images Amid the smoke and rubble of the New York Knicks’ season, a man, a […]
Jenny McCarthy I noticed that Rosie introduced Jenny McCarthy to Tim Tebow and Tebow was polite and exchanged numbers after Rosie demanded it. However, everyone knows that Tebow is an evangelical Christian who believes the Bible is his guide for living and there is a scripture which forbids Christians from dating non-Christians. Wikipedia reports that McCarthy has […]
Tim Tebow Interview: God’s role in Football Published on Feb 3, 2012 by ESPN Tim Tebow talks to Skip Bayless about religion, Tebowing and the role God plays on and off the field. _______________________________ This is a story I got off Buster Wilson’s blog: The Gospel According to Tebow A selection of the biblical verses […]
Tom Brady “More than this…” Uploaded by EdenWorshipCenter on Jan 22, 2008 EWC sermon illustration showing a clip from the 2005 Tom Brady 60 minutes interview. To Download this video copy the URL to www.vixy.net Below you will see several video clips. Evidently despite all the super bowl rings Brady is still looking for true satisfaction, and Danny […]
This is a RUSH transcript from “The O’Reilly Factor,” June 3, 2011. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated JUAN WILLIAMS, FOX NEWS GUEST HOST: In the “Back of the Book” segment tonight, Tim Tebow is a quarterback for the Denver Broncos and a man of deep faith. That faith […]
Tim Tebow’s faith (Part 1) I really respect Tim Tebow and I wanted to pass along an article that defends him. Tim Tebow, Faith and Blasphemy Culture, Evangelicals, Featured, Protestant, Religion, Sports — By J.F. Arnold on August 17, 2011 at 5:05 am I won’t pretend to be an expert in the world of sports. I can tell you if a given team […]
I think the world of the character of Tim Tebow. Tim Tebow played well in a reserve role Sunday, but did he play himself into a starting quarterback job? Well, Tebow’s loyal fanbase certainly thinks so after the former Heisman Trophy winner tried to rally the Denver Broncos, even though they ended up losing to […]
I am thrilled to get the chance to share the following article with you today. I got a call from Tim Keown who is a writer for ESPN Magazine a few days ago. He had read a post from my blog on Tim Tebow and wanted to ask me some questions. One of my answers […]
Tim Tebow’s Faith (Part 3) Another look at the faith of Tim Tebow. Q & A: Tim Tebow on Faith, Fame, & Football The NFL athlete reflects on his outspoken faith, whether athletes should attribute their wins to God, and moving from the Focus on the Family ad to Jockey ads. Interview by Sarah Pulliam […]
It is clear to me that Tim Tebow is trusting in the Lord and he does not want to get discouraged by the world’s negativity. However, I do not think that he believes that if you have faith then you will become rich and everything you do will bring success as the world thinks of […]
Keith Green performing “So You Wanna Go Back To Egypt” live at West Coast 1980
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This song really shows Keith’s humor, but it really has great message. Keith also had a great newsletter that went out every month and I always enjoyed reading it. Below is a portion of an article he wrote and I still remember some of the things he said over 30 years ago when I first read it.
The reason I wanted to lay a solid foundation before looking closer at the Israelite’s complaining attitude is simple but important. As I said, we think God isn’t going to be as hard on us as he was on them. “Hey, I’m under grace! God isn’t keeping a list of my sins. Especially not something like a little complaining now and then !”
But the Israelite’s wilderness journey exposes the attitudes behind their complaints – some really serious sins! Let’s look at three complaints that will get us into big trouble. Be honest and see if you find yourself in these accounts in Numbers.
#1 Complaints Of the Flesh
Numbers 11 gives a concise picture of what God and Moses had to put up with while trying to lead the people out of Egypt into the Promised Land. “Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the Lord …” Not only did Moses have to listen to their complaints, but the Lord heard all their griping as well.
We often forget that the Lord hears everything we say. He even knows everything we think! As David said: “Thou dost understand my thought from afar… Even before there is a word on my tongue, behold O Lord, Thou dost know it all.” (Ps. 139:2,4) You can’t hide bad attitudes from God. It’s better to get to the root and deal with it. What was the root of their complaint?
The Israelites began craving food other than what the Lord was providing. They wailed, “If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost – also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic.” What breath they must have had! We could call it Egypt Breath. “But now our appetite is gone. There is nothing at all to look at except this manna.” (Num. 11:4-6)
The root of their complaint was their flesh. They forgot that they didn’t deserve anything! God was giving them bread they didn’t even have to work for. It was free. All they had to do was go and pick it up! But their ungrateful response was, “What? Manna again? All we ever get is this crummy bread from heaven. Wonder-bread… ugh! We wanna go back to Egypt!”
The Bread Of Life
Now don’t judge these people too quickly. In John chapter six of the New Testament, we find Jewish leaders complaining about Jesus. Even His disciples were grumbling at His words. He declared, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall not hunger and he who believes in Me shall never thirst… Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died... if anyone eats of this bread, he shall live forever.” (Jn. 6:35,49,51) After this, “many of His disciples withdrew, and were not walking with Him anymore.” (Jn. 6:66)
A lot of people today pray the “sinners prayer” found in 3rd Corinthians. They say, “Jesus, come into my heart. Be my Savior. Amen.” Then a few weeks later when the wife or the new car they prayed for hasn’t arrived on their doorstep, they start looking back. They didn’t realize the cross had two sides. The death side and the resurrection side. Many people want their resurrection right on the cross. Or worse, they want a padded cross with a pillow and a sun lamp. One that’s real comfortable. No way. The cross hurts so they start thinking, “Gee, this peace is not only passing understanding, it’s passing notice! I don’t even see it! Where’s my peace?!”
Pretty soon they’re thinking, “I thought this would be a joyful experience. Before I prayed to receive Jesus I could have anything I wanted – this is starting to be a drag!” Then they complain to the Lord. “I know you’re supposed to be the Bread of Life, but I’m getting hungry for my old friends, my old ways, my old life.”
It’s not that God doesn’t have enough patience when we pray complaining prayers. But sometimes He allows us to have exactly what we’ve been praying for! Yes, God sometimes answers prayers of the flesh. But I guarantee you won’t like the results.
Be Careful How You Pray
The Israelites complained about manna and demanded meat and the Lord told them He would give them meat to eat. Now I can hear everyone saying, “Hey, complaining pays off! We oughta do it more often!” The Lord said, “You shall eat not one day webut a whole month, until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you – because you have rejected the Lord, who is among you …saying, ‘Why did we ever leave Egypt?’” (Num. 11:19-20)
The Lord, knowing their hearts, knew they’d rejected Him for their appetites. So He gave them what they thought they wanted. God sent a wind to bring quail in from the sea and they covered the ground three feet deep for a day’s walk in any direction. Quail City! Not to mention the other ... you know…the other things that quail bring. It must have been quite an answer to prayer! “And the people spent all day and all night and all the next day gathering the quail (he who gathered the least amount gathered ten homers) and they spread them out for themselves…”One homer equals 11 bushels so the person who gathered the least, gathered 110 bushels – for himself! God’s people – flesh personified. (vs. 31-32)
“And while the meat was still between their teeth…the Lord struck the people with a very severe plague. So the name of that place was called Kibrothhattaavah, because there they buried the people who had been greedy. “(vs. 33-34) The name actually means “the graves of greediness”. God answered their complaining prayer abundantly and they added insult to injury. There was no praise, no thanksgiving, no trust, and no faith. Just greed. Many, many people died in that plague.
Are you restless in your faith because you haven’t seen an answer to some important prayer? Have you been grumbling because you’ve trusted God for a need you don’t feel He’s taken care of? Have you been longing for the way things used to be? Have you been ungrateful for what the Lord has given you?
Don’t allow your flesh to win over your Spirit, carrying you into a dead faith – or worse, into outright rejection of the Lord.
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Monica Lewinsky at Men’s Health and Best Life magazines book release party for ‘Blunt’ (Scott Gries, Getty Images for Rodale) 
Modern claims that America is not a Christian nation are rarely noticed or refuted today because of the nation’s widespread lack of knowledge about America’s history and foundation. To help provide the missing historical knowledge necessary to combat today’s post-modern revisionism, presented below will be some statements by previous presidents, legislatures, and courts (as well as by current national Jewish spokesmen) about America being a Christian nation. These declarations from all three branches of government are representative of scores of others and therefore comprise only the proverbial “tip of the iceberg.”
or a secular nation might accuse an American of the crime of proselytizing simply for sharing his faith with another (currently a crime in France, 
Jeremy Lin was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, and led his basketball team at Palo Alto High School to the state championships in his senior year. At Harvard University, Lin has built a national following, has been hailed as one of the finest point guards in the nation, and stands poised to enter the NBA as a high draft pick and the first Asian-American to achieve prominence in the NBA. 
The Daily Hatch 