I have no defined leadership status, nor authority ...for my statement to carry significant weight. So, I'm not going to make this 'Twitter'-length. I feel that sort of brevity is not sufficient for important stuff. And I like misunderstandings to be at a minimum, so I'm going to first frame this dialogue ...but, let me say that my thoughts are in reference to Charlottesville, Virginia. It may take a few paragraphs, but I will try to sufficiently address that event, and my thoughts on it.

I've heard it being said, and you probably have also heard it, "No news is good news!"

We know there can be many references to that ...but, lately I've not been watching the news.

Is that good??

I was asked about something that I didn't really know about. But, I felt what I was asked was very important.

I am retired now ...but, I have always lived in Michigan.  Our State is very diverse.  I was born and raised in the Upper Peninsula, then went to Michigan State University in East Lansing.

After college, I got a job in Pontiac ...then Ypsilanti, and now am retired in Waterford.  (I also went to church in Taylor during my second year in Pontiac. Yes, there appears to be a Ypsiltucky, Taylortucky, and Watertucky existence ...but, my Christian faith leads me to tend to live in this world, but not of this world.  Yet, again, I believe that all people are valuable ...and it doesn't matter to me how you label me, or others around me, as long as we have our rights and freedoms preserved as equals in this country.  For those who don't view it that way ...then it seems you may view it differently than I believe God views it.)

Anyway, I don't remember the year, but I do recall Rudy Giuliani was mayor of New York City.  He was mayor for eight years, through 2001 ---so, it was somewhere in that time frame.  I remember that the white nationalists were planning a march or something to our capitol in Lansing.  I don't know if the city, the state, or what level of government funded the preparation for the event, but they purchased a tall chain-linked fence to line the pathway of the march to our Capitol.  It was to help prevent trouble ...as they knew there would be counter protesters.  

I felt it was a waste of taxpayers money, and they should not allow the white nationalists that privilege ...as I view them as a hateful group of people.  Others would say they have the right to a peaceful assembly ...by the laws of our Constitution.

There are many things that disturb me about this ...but, two legal things come to mind immediately.  And both points argue that if it is not peaceful, it should not be allowed to take place.

I would not want to participate in anything that I knew would also have those in attendance ...who may be arguing a similar point, but have a much different approach on how it is to be solved.  Berkeley, California has been known for free speech ...yet, they protest speakers who were invited to speak there. And how surprised was anyone when violence broke out, with quite graphic destruction of property within their own university??  And this is my first point ...there were those in attendance who said it was supposed to be a peaceful demonstration.  Who would think that it would be one??  And those who did say they thought that ...did they then do anything to discourage destruction of property, or protest against their own group violence??

My second point is ...several years ago, I helped plan an event in Pontiac.  It was at a track & field area, next to a high school football stadium.  We did this event for three summers in a row. And we had to get a permit each time. We did not just decide on our own to bring people together ...we got a permit from the city.  We had tables of food for people to eat.  People said they heard about it for miles around, and they walked to get there. They ate under a shaded tarp, could listen to music while they ate ...and yes, we handed out free Bibles. And yes, the music was Christian music ...not offensive, not intrusive, nor was it violent/sexual music. Everybody was friendly, and appeared to have a good time.

Did you miss my second point?? 

Let me put it this way. I was working the afternoon shift, and I'd get out of work at 11:30pm in Ypsilanti.  It would be much past midnight before I'd get home (Waterford).  I was driving through the White Lake area ...and there appeared to be virtually no one around, except maybe that police car parked alongside the road.  I was tired and driving slowly.  I was stopped, and was asked if I'd been drinking.  I don't drink anything but milk, juice, and water ...and I truthfully stated this.  I was issued a ticket for impeding traffic.

My second point is this: How do people march up and down through public places, without a permit, and impeding business and regular everyday events ...and majorly infringing upon the rights of others??

I would prefer that no white nationalists be in our country ...but I also would like that no violent & radical groups like ISIS would be here either.

Yet, I am a Christian, and I know that missionaries are reaching out to people in nations that promote hate and violence.  In a way, it may be easier to address these type of thinking people here ...but, it is difficult in either of those scenarios.

Mostly, if there is a fair, yet strict way to deter wrong behavior and activity ...then perhaps we could have dialogue.  Some people believe that we only need dialogue ...but, this is not what I believe.  Too many people are not interested in listening to anyone who does not think the same way as them ...and particularly this seems to hold true for people who don't stand for something, but stand against something (or someone).

Yes, as a Christian, I stand for certain things I believe in. I worked in a Mental Health prison. I had to do searches of prisoner's rooms ...and I noticed a significant number of books in one of the rooms.  I was going to look into it, as I knew there was a limit to the number of books they could have with them at one time, but at this moment I just mentioned, "I see you like to read."

The prisoner said, "Do you want to borrow one of the books?"

I knew this could be just rare politeness, but friendliness has to be guarded ...prisoners are often there because they are good at set-ups, part of which may be hooking someone into their field of finagling.  I said, "No, I can't take books out of here ...I can get whatever I want from the library in my town, but afterwards, if we have a chance to talk, I wouldn't mind asking you a few questions."

At this point, I think he sincerely found interest in me finding interest in him ...which is a good thing.  So, later I asked him about his claiming to be a white supremacist. I had also noticed he had a Bible, and other study booklets. I asked him that since he said he was a Christian ...what was his understanding of the requirement for salvation, or if he preferred, access to heaven.

He said that it was simply believing in Jesus.

I offered, "Wouldn't the only supreme existence be ...being with Him who is supreme, our Creator, for eternity?"

He simply said, "Yes."

I suggested, "Then, since salvation is through believing in Jesus, which I also agree with ...I know a lot of black people who believe in Jesus, and they will all one day be in Heaven praising God, while a lot of ignorant white folk who thought they were supreme by the color of their skin and not by the grace of God, will be not thanking the likes of people like you who deceived them into thinking they had it made because they are white."

(http://whoisahater.blogspot.com/) ...well, sometimes we falsely accuse others, yet, other times we need to address issues directly.  Many people are labeled as 'haters' or 'intolerant' ...when often that is a very rash and slanted statement.

I used to go to a Baptist church ...and during the time I was attending, there were many Baptist churches which were trying to broaden their association with other churches. The pastor of the church I was attending, along with the agreement of the elders ...decided they were compromising too much with that association, and they became a non-denominational church.  I presently attend a church closer to home ...which is also non-denominational.

I don't know what the Baptists differed on ...but, I don't think it was as severe a difference as what I heard in the news several years ago about some of the members of Westboro Baptist church. I will say outright that the behaviors of those traveling protesters was very disappointing to me ...and I did not hesitate to say so.

I am not through here, as I believe that if we are to keep ourselves straight and solid with our beliefs ...we have to not ignore these things.  I have a whole list, but am taking a break here, as it is exhausting ...and I want to be at least a bit more thorough, so I think I will have to add to this blog later.

I do believe in the Gospel According to Matthew ...

I do believe in the Gospel According to Mark ...

I do believe in the Gospel According to Luke ...

I do believe in the Gospel According to John ...

I do believe in the Epistles (letters) of the Apostles ...

I do not believe in the statements, and interpretations according to Westboro Baptist church members ...

They also claim to follow the five points of Calvinism ...

Westboro members also have reportedly stomped on the American flag, flown it upside down, and made statements like, "God hates America!"  The founder of the church died in 2014, and reports came out about how he abused family members within his own household.  They have sort of faded from the news in the past couple years.

How does running a church, and running a country differ??

There are many ways that nations are run ...and often it does not stick to one form of government, as one ruling party is overcome by another, and things change. And they can change significantly and drastically. With a republic, if one party is dominant, it will often reflect that in how they approach issues concerning their nation.

With a King, or monarchy, it could be even worse, especially if the residing King is one the throne as a result of an uprising. It may seem like the show ...Game of Thrones.  But, when it is not like this, there may be more consistency in the royal line if they are schooled with proper etiquette and refined living. Yet, every so often someone in the royal line decides to make a royal example of themselves by going against counsel and guidance.

Which is better for a nation??

Which is better for a religion??

Would it be better to have singular-person rule, and would that be benevolent rule or a dictatorship??

Or would it be better to have one of the many forms of multi-person rule??

(http://governmeantforwho.blogspot.com/)

There are more than a few religions of the world which view their religion as the only true religion.  And of those, there are a few who claim the Bible is true ...but, only they have the authority to interpret what the Bible says, and they have that exclusive designation.

I personally believe in the exclusive truth of the Bible. I think this is important, as much of the trouble we have with these groups that I began to talk about in this blog ...has to do with authority.  Not going against the authority of police, or government ...but, against the authority of what God has truly said in His Word.

Many people protest the validity of the Bible ...stating that mere men (also protesting that no women were involved) decided what writings were to be put in the Bible, and furthermore, that mere men wrote those writings.

I am going to go back a bit ...to the three laws of thermodynamics.

The 1st law tells us that energy cannot be created or destroyed.

The 2nd law deals with the way two systems react when meeting each other.

The 3rd law talks of the energy state's characteristics affected by conditions outside itself.

No singular law can be discussed without first looking at the first law ...that states that energy cannot be created or destroyed.  So, the very law itself denies the existence of the energy it is attempting to define.

Accepting this law, which most intellectuals do accept ...it can only be concluded that neither evolution, nor God can exist.

And we would not be able to exist either. 

No wonder some people have such a problem living their life ...if they find no reason for themselves to exist.

In summary, if energy cannot be created, then it cannot exist. this only breeds insanity.

But, this science has missed something ...which the often derided movie industry has found opportunity to capitalize on. It is the belief in something that does not follow our coveted and acclaimed rules of science.  When inaccurately described, it is called fantasy.  But, in truth, it does exist ...not in the make-believe, but in the spirit world.

We move quickly to many spirits, or even many supreme beings. But, it is still fantasy ...unless it is true.  And truly we do exist.

Science says energy cannot be created, nor can anything else be.  But, better than mere energy ...we were created.

Evolution cannot exist in science.  And neither can evolution exist in the spirit world ...because there is too much spirit activity to allow evolution, which is a process that takes its own course while mindlessly interacting with other forces with no real directive purpose or thought process.  Yes, mindlessly ...with no mind.

So, that's what I say, "No mind evolution."

Then going on to the mind ...wouldn't there be a mind to communicate??  There must be some truth ...so wouldn't it be communicated??

Our task it to find it ...but, that is not too hard, when it seeks to communicate with us.  So, if nothing else, we just have to have a bit of discernment.

It's there ...it's clearly there!! And I don't know how we cannot clearly see it's the Bible.

And Jesus is not someone who has been forgotten throughout history ...or His-story.  What does Jesus say??

Jesus quoted much of the Old Testament, and He took this communication very seriously.  He turned over the tables of the money-changers ...but, He carefully turned the pages of what we now call the Old Testament, reading it, quoting it, and fulfilling it.  More than anything about the Old Testament, He said He and the Father are One.

And the New Testament tells us about Jesus ...as He was on earth, fulfilling the other writings we have in the Bible.  And it also contains letters from the Apostles ...ending with a Book which was written by the one Jesus spoke of in a special way, as if to let him know he would live the longest, with something extra yet to share with us.

I can read ...and I can understand some things.  What I cannot understand, I am so thankful that God has touched us with His Holy Spirit ...to bring understanding to us.

I also understand that we often get confused, and sometimes deliberately so.  And it is often difficult to discern that which is God's leading, through the Holy Spirit ...and that which is influenced by ourselves, others, or other spirits other than God.

That is why I remain open to hear also what you say ...yet, I'm not going to easily accept that which feels contrary to what His Word tells us.

You may protest me saying this ...and you may protest other things I say, but I am not one of those who angrily hate. I am willing to listen and consider.

But, I hope you also consider the Bible as true.  If you don't we can go back to the beginning ...or even before the beginning. Yet, my reference is always going to be the Bible.  It makes sense to me, and I believe it will to you too ...if you read it, or at least listen to those who have.