Saying "I'm Sorry"

I have had this same discussion many times recently and so it was good to see Bill O'Reilly address this topic on his "Tip of the Day" segment this week.

There is a difference between saying you are sorry and making amends or restitution.  Seems many in our culture today don't understand the "rules" of an apology.  Saying you are sorry is a good place to start, don't get me wrong, but it doesn't DO anything to fix the relationship or the matter.

When we break something, we should FIX it.   Didn't you hear that as a kid growing up?  Well, maybe not as many today have not been taught manners but that is a topic for another day. The right thing to do, even though many in this culture have lost this art of civility, is to go to a person, say you were wrong and then ask what you can do to repair the damage you have caused.  It's what makes the world go round in a peaceful way...love!  If you love someone, you would do to them as you would want them to do to you.   Wouldn't you want someone to treat you with this kind of love?  Then you must DO this kind of love too! If you offend someone, you should make it right, not just say, "I'm sorry" but find out what they need from you to repair the damage you have caused.

This is seen everyday in our world we live in when we file an insurance claim for an "accident'.  When someone hits your car, there is a process that unfolds to repair the damage.  We have insurance to cover our mistakes when driving.  Well, the same thing should be true for our actions in life.  When we cause a "foul" there should be an exchange, a payment, a repair to make it right.

Actions ALWAYS speak louder than words and in this case, if you apologize to someone, you also must be willing to MAKE it right by doing something. Words are cheap!  What a wonderful world this would be if people would just OWN UP on what they have done.  We ALL fail.  We ALL need to be able to own it, address it, confess it and repair it.

Benghazi and Accountability

So tell me again why so many defended Hilary and the president when they stood in the rose garden and blamed a video?  Used to be that when leadership were caught in their lies, they resigned before bringing disgrace on our nation.  Remember Watergate?  How many people were fired, removed and/or resigned?  Today we have four people dead in Benghazi and one is an Ambassador not to mention the two former Navy seals and yet it seems some just want to "sweep this under the rug and move forward" like nothing terrible has really happened.

"Sweeping things under the rug and moving forward" seems to be a "spell" over many these days, not only in politics but I have seen this personally in my family and even in the church.  What happened to accountability?  How about responsibility?  Integrity?  Repentance?  Restitution?  When we allow people/leadership to do this, we are basically saying that this "injustice" (whatever it may be) is no big deal and we hear them saying "get over it".

Really?  I have seen this same demon manifesting in pastors taking this same stance over issues in their church when it comes to family disputes.  They want to "sweep things under the rug".  No one wants to get their "hands dirty" and so they "wash their hands" of involvement in anything "messy" so they don't loose tithes or members because too many people today are not about truth; they are about easy.

It reminds me of Meg Ryan's line in "You've Got Mail".  Kathleen Kelly is dealing with the loss of her business and she keeps hearing this line as if it is truth.  She is told that it is nothing personal; it's business.  She finally responds with this dialog, "What is that supposed to mean? I am so sick of that. All that means is that it wasn't personal to *you*. But it was personal to me. It's *personal* to a lot of people. And what's so wrong with being personal, anyway?"

I have seen SO many things in the past few years (even aside from politics) where people act like personal attacks are nothing personal.  Really?  Or where accountability and leadership don't want to get involved with "this or that" because that is a "family issue" or they use the line of it's "personal".

"And what's so wrong with being personal, anyway?" - Kathleen Kelly

We seem to live in a day where accountability and restitution seem to be a thing of the past.  Tragic!

Steven Spielberg

This was an interesting piece on Steven Spielberg by 60 Minutes a couple of weeks ago.  I found much of it fascinating that this small, insecure, loner kid continued to press on and become, well, Steven Spielberg the Hollywood legend.  What an incredible mind he has and as we all know, such incredible talent.

My heart was saddened by many of his recounts of his childhood as I love the Jews and all those who stand with Israel so to hear him talk of being persecuted was troubling.  I also loved seeing the interview with his parents; sad their marriage didn't make it.  I can only imagine how many years they could have been married.

But why I am posting anything about this matter at all is that Spielberg decided not to release his newest movie, Lincoln, until after the elections.  Why?  Did he paint such a great picture of Lincoln, a Republican, that he didn't want voters to go to the polls and vote against Obama, a democrat?  Why would he hold the release date?

If he did hold the release of the movie to help "save the election" for Obama, than this is indeed troubling to me as I don't understand how Spielberg (a Jew) could support Obama when Obama wouldn't even meet with Bebe Netanyahu over the matter of Iran and Israel.  In fact, Obama has never even visited Israel in all his travels to the middle east his entire presidency.  How can an American president miss visiting our greatest friend and ally in the middle east when he has traveled there several times unless he clearly doesn't like them?  It is clear that many in the Middle East have far from fond affections toward Israel or Jews in general, yet is Spielberg won't release his movie before the elections as to not upset the country.   Troubling indeed.

I look forward to his new movie and I continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, for God's beloved Israel and for the Jewish people (wherever they live), and for the Jewish nation and with that, I pray for these elections. My bible is clear on how God views, His beloved Israel and if God loves them, you know I certainly do too and will stand with them.

Mike Huckabee & David Barton each on The Daily Show

Well I am normally not one to promote the Jon Stewart Daily Show but this clip I ran across was quite interesting to me as he had as a guest Mike Huckabee.  The former senator is so gracious and kind and just exemplifies a gentle spirit in all that he does.  At the end of the interview, Jon even references a genuine love for Mike based upon this kindness.  I also love how Jon states that he is challenged in his thoughts and beliefs after conversations with Mr. Huckabee.  Great interview and I hope you take the time to listen in it's entirety.

I like Mike Huckabee because what you see it what you get.  He is consistent and predictable.  We need people like him in leadership.

Mike Huckabee Part 1 - The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on April 6, 2011
Mike Huckabee Part 2 - The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on April 6, 2011
Mike Huckabee Part 3 - The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on April 6, 2011

Several times Mike Huckabee addresses the ongoing questions raised by Jon Stewart regarding David Barton and finally, repeatedly, Mr. Huckabee says to Jon, you should have him on.  Well, yesterday Jon did.  David Barton was on the Daily Show.  It was interesting to watch David bring the questions back to the topic when Jon was pressing for answers.  Very intelligent people here who entered into a civil discussion.  I do like that about Jon Stewart - he makes jokes, yes, but he doesn't do so with the malice and meanness that I have seen others do.  Jon Stewart seems to have a tender heart and is looking for truth and understanding.  May the Lord open the eyes of his heart to see.

David Barton Part 1 - The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on May 4, 2011
David Barton Part 2 - The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on May 4, 2011
David Barton Part 3 - The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on May 4, 2011
David Barton Bio for Daily Show

Don't Question the President

Last week, a local reporter from WFAA here in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area was one of four reporters invited from across the US to go to the White House and each would be given a seven minute interview with the President.  Brad Watson is a very calm and cool reporter and I have never seen him get excited or rude to any person he has interviewed but he is always direct and to the point.

Well apparently, the current leader doesn't like his authority question.  This is an interesting topic to me because if a person is threatened by a question, it naturally implies they have an issue they don't want discussed, addressed or uncovered.  Think about it, questions only get us upset we don't want to answer - for whatever the reason.

Teachers are asked questions ALL the time and  can you imagine them responding with chastisement to the student JUST for asking a question?  Now if the question is personal (as in a student/teacher relationship) or the question is none of their business (again speaking from the student/teacher relationship) then I can see a person how a teacher could be withholding of information but this reporter was invited to ask questions of the President!  Of course there are boundaries that are considered respective and proper but I don't feel Mr. Watson crossed any of these boundaries. He was trying to get an answer to his question based on facts he was presenting that inferred there was "more to the story" than the President wanted to address.  He was just trying to get to the truth and not just a "canned" sound-bite.   Seems to me the reporter was just doing his job but this leader is threatened when people don't just "drink the Kool-aide" and follow along with the "pided-piper".  He doesn't like his agenda questioned at all!

A closing thought is that this administration PICKED the news agency to do the interviews out of HOW many stations across America?  WFFA usually leans left but deliver their bias through a very "family oriented" style so it is hardly noticed but always present.

the Star Spangled Banner

So this last week-end our country celebrated a relatively modern ritual called the Super Bowl.  The big football game where the two leagues that compete in the USA get down to the final game of the season. It has become a BIG deal and this year the event was held here, in my neighborhood (relatively speaking) in Arlington, Texas.

With many great sports event that we celebrate in this country we begin the game with a tribute to our Nation with the signing of the National Anthem.  You would think that a song that every American has sung hundreds of time would be burned into our memory and that words would be like breathing, something we know and do without thinking but not so this year.  Christina Aguilera (a modern rock star) was selected to sing at this event.  I use the word "sing" rather loosely because what she did was not exactly something I call singing.

What a shame that that people who live in the land of the free and the home of brave can't get the words right to their National Anthem....she couldn't even stay on pitch.  What ever happened to the good old days when we just enjoyed a simple rendition of the US National Anthem as done by the Academy Choirs.

2010 Top Ten Anti-Israel Lies

The Simon Wiesenthal Center recently released the 2010 TOP TEN Anti-Israel Lies and I felt this was worth passing along.    The Simon Wiesenthal Center, according to its mission statement is "an international Jewish human rights organization dedicated to repairing the world one step at a time".  It is located in Los Angeles, California and was established in 1977 and named for Simon Wiesenthal, the famous Nazi hunter. 

Rather than re-writing the whole document, I am only listing the "lies" as they published in their document.  Click on this link to read them all:
2010 TOP TEN Anti-Israel Lies Brochure.

• Lie #1  - Israel was created by European guilt over the Nazi Holocaust.  Why should Palstinians pay the price?
• Lie #2 - Had Israel withdrawn to its June 1967 borders, peace would have come long ago.
• Lie #3 - Israel is the main stumbling block to achieving a Two-State solution.
• Lie #4 - Nuclear Israel not Iran is the greatest threat to to peace and stability.
• Lie #5 - Israel is an Apartheid State deserving of International Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaigns.
• Lie #6 - Plan to build 1,600 more homes in East Jerusalem prove Israel is 'Judizing' the Holy City.
• Lie #7 - Israeli policies endanger U.S. troops in Afghanistan and Iraq.
• Lie #8 - Israeli policies are the cause of worldwide anti-Semitism.
• Lie #9 - Israel, not Hamas, is responsible for the "humanitarian catastrophe" in Gaza.  Goldstone was right when he charged that Israel was guilty of war crimes against civilians.
• Lie #10 - The only hope for peace is a single, bi-national state, eliminating the Jewish State of Israel.

At the closing of their brochure was the following sentence:  It is up to us to help disseminate the facts about Israel -- to our Nation's leaders, to world governments, to our media outlets, to all who will listen.  Please stand up today and do your part.

One thing I would add to the following "check list" of people to call and contacts to make is for us to pray!  God has a heart for Israel and has required us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.  After we have covered them with prayer, then I agree, we need to contact the media outlets and those in govering authorities to speak out against any anti-Israel moods that manifest in this country.  They then listed these numbers:

UNITED STATES :
President Barack Obama
www.whitehouse.gov/contact
202.456.1111

Vice President Joe Biden
www.whitehouse.gov/contact-vp
202.456.1111

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
www.contact-us.state.gov/cgi-bin/state
202.647.4000

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates
www.defense.gov/landing/questions.aspx
703.571.3343

National Security Advisor Gen. James Jones
www.whitehouse.gov/contact
202.456.1111

To reach your Senator or Congressman
http://www.senate.gov/  OR  http://www.house.gov/
202.224.3121


CANADA:
Prime inster Stephen Harper
pm@pm.gc.ca
Canada F:   613.941.6900

Foreign Minster Lawrence Cannon
Cannon.L@parl.gc.ca
Candad:  613.992.5516


MIDDLE EAST QUARTET:

Quartet Representative Tony Blair

info@quartetrep.org


UNITED NATIONS:
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
www.un.org/en/contactus/
contactform.asp


COUNCIL OF EUROPEAN UNION:
eeas.europa.eu
011.32.2.281.56.50


MEDIA:
CNN
cnn.desk@turner.com
404.827.1500

Fox News Channel
yourcomments@foxnews.com
888.369.4762

MSNBC
www.msnbc.com/id/10285339
212.664.4444

New York Times
letters@nytimes.com
888.698.6397

Washington Post
letters@washpost.com
202.334.6000

Los Angeles Times
letters@latimes.com
213.237.5000

Wall Street Journal
swj.ltrs@wsj.com
212.416.2000

Globe and Mail
newsroom@globandmail.com
Canada:  416.585.5000

National Post
queries@nationalpost.com

CBC
ombusman@cbc.ca
1.866.306.4536

iACT CAMPUS OUTREACH:
Rabbi Aron Hier
iact@wiesenthal.com
310.772.2478

the Preamble to the Constitution

Do you remember the Andy Griffith Show?  They just don't make television like they did.  Here is a clip of Barney Fife reciting the Preamble to the Constitution, with a little bit of help from Andy.

Sad thing is back in these days, EVERY child had to learn the Preamble.  Today, I bet most children of school age don't even know where the Preamble is found.  A bit discouraging to think about and how little of our important history is being taught to our children today.