Response to Juliet Jones on Obama's National Address, December 6, 2015

Juliet, as a self-described Libertarian (not Liberal) who leans to the right (believing in limited government and low taxation) but is centrist, I listen to both sides.

I am amazed at the incessant negative reaction from the right such as this, posted by former Clueless star Stacey Dash. She is now a right wing activist supporting such things as the South Carolina police officer who brutalized an INSUBORDINATE child in the classroom, and the right to display the Confederate battle flag, if you can believe that...

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/frenchrevolution/2015/12/06/shorter-obama-dear-islamophobes-im-still-not-serious-about-defeating-isis/

I listen to the same message from the president, keeping in mind that we don't have the answers. Then, I hear a guy that is trying to maintain the idea of America as a place for all kinds, the "melding pot" as it has always been known during my lifetime, and fail to understand the obstinance of the right. I read the article above and hear nothing but the same empty rhetoric he accuses the president of having.

I don't believe most Muslims are terrorists anymore than I believe most Christians live up to their convictions. It is why we all need forgiveness. We live in a world filled with people who suffer from Cognitive Dissonance, where we do not live up to what we say believe.

I take issue with President Obama presenting ISIL as thugs, killers, and as a cult of death, when from what I've read of the Quran, they are the ones who live up to what they say they believe... purists, radicals; radical- meaning fundamental and at the root, or core of something.

If Christians were true to their convictions according to the teachings of the New Testament, we would have a lot less BLING in society, a lot fewer shiny new cars, a lot less make-up and jewelry, and a lot more humility, and a lot less greed, wanting more, more, more, or the latest every single thing. Somehow, we have equated shiny new things with Jesus Christ who 'is the same yesterday, today and forever', perhaps still wearing sandals... Cognitive Dissonance. You see it every time you walk into a church and see a guy in a picture hanging on the wall wearing a robe with long hair being worshiped by people with a parking lot full of cars, and mortgages on the building, and all dressed to the nines. Something doesn't make sense.

I am not knocking success, but I truly believe we need a president who wears "professional denim", if that makes sense. What would represent success more than a guy in denim in charge than another guy, or gal in another expensive suit? Call me radical, if you will.

But, while Christianity has Christ who said to cast the first stone if you are without sin, Islam says cast the first stone... This is the fine line of difference and where Grace comes in to distinguish all religions from Christianity. Christianity says, YOU ARE GUILTY, BUT YOU ARE FORGIVEN.

We fail as Americans when we make pornography the number one downloaded item on the Internet. We fail as Americans when we gorge ourselves with horrible food causing obesity and all kinds of health problems, all in the name of freedom. We fail as Americans when we take this freedom and turn it into obscenity, whether sexually, or nutritionally, and in either way, healthfully.

With that in mind, I do not equate Americans with Christians, although most here would identify themselves as Christians if asked what faith, if any, they have. All I am saying is we have a lot to work on individually before we judge others who are as lacking in conviction as we are.

At the same time, if you come from a religion which clearly supports Jihad in order to get your point across and to change the world, the peaceful Muslims who suffer from the same disorder, Cognitive Dissonance, as Christians do will either continue down that peaceful and tolerant path, or one day wake up to the fact that they're not living up to what their texts teach and either be humbled in Christ, or start a holy war for Allah. I side with Christ. I just don't think he's very much like many of his followers, not desirous for opulence, but for wealth in spirit and modesty.

They say when we enter the kingdom of heaven we will cast down our crowns... there won't be any need for them. Streets paved with gold, instead of gold worn as ornaments, no more tears, no more sunshine as the glory of the Lord will illuminate all creation... and the minds of men, male and female. Where are we now?

Then I listen to someone like Deeyah, my favorite activist who earlier said much the same as the president with this short video. You can look up more. She has a new short film out called Jihad: A British Story. I have yet to watch it, but will as soon as possible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYsNzLwBQIQ

Isn't this true?

We have many failings as a society, and as Christians, but we do come from a perspective of tolerance, giving people the right to screw up, and to either clean up the mess, or die from it. Yet, without a single stone being cast in the streets, until things like San Bernardino, or the Boston bombing of recent years, and not to forget 911. These are some really big stones that have been cast and in the name of Allah!

So, my conclusion is that we cannot be the police force of the world, and nor can we be the safe haven for those who might turn against us for our loose freedoms held by a minority who seem to hold the majority of the airtime in media, and for those who live in the closet consuming these licentious excuses for freedom. It is a delicate matter of balance, but preferable to living in a theocracy.

Let freedom ring, but let us be careful. President Obama made it clear that better background checks should be made. Just because someone is your fiance shouldn't mean automatic acceptance. The screening process should be thorough and then, I'm sorry, but a watchful eye must be kept. A moderate Muslim coming to America is more likely to become disgusted with popular culture and wake up one day fighting a war with an act of terrorism, than to become a Christian based upon some of the clowns who supposedly represent Christ. I'm betting without doing a search, there are porn stars for Christ. Over there, yes we should stay off the ground, but even more than that, we need a new, clean energy source which gets us out of that region altogether. So much money is being made on war, the war gluttons cannot give it up. This is our own battle right here at home within the minds of our leadership, we elect, and are supposed to serve us. It seems they only serve themselves and the idea of a republic, a representative democracy, is just another illusion to appease us in that belief.

I've seen enough bullshit in my life to recognize it when it's around, and boy is it ever around. As I've often said, from Washington DC, to the corner of College and Clayton where the beggars sit, it is bullshit. If you're really in that much need to beg in a town where a homeless person needs to watch his weight if he eats all the food made available to him, or her, then go on a diet, but don't be asking me for money when you know good and well you're not going to use it for anything but whatever fix it is you're looking for. I see them all the time when they leave the corner to take a break at the nearest bar they can get a beer for a dollar, or two, but seldom do you see these same people at the soup kitchen.

Likewise, the guys in the ties, tell us the same thing year, after year, after year, after year... the never ending story of how we need to fix things but don't ever do much toward that. At least, we do have hybrid vehicles, and electric cars these days, burning less petroleum. Maybe change is so slow, I can't fully appreciate it, and I'm just being pessimistic. Maybe I too suffer from wanting more, more, more & now, now, now, but on the side of clean energy rather than more of the same dirty business of oil.

Of course, if we pulled out of the region altogether, wouldn't they blame us for oppressing them further. I don't think there is a real win/win with these people, unless.... unless... their minds be changed and they throw down their stones, remove the burkas from their wives, get over their feelings of inferiority masked as superiority in the name of "God" and find that freedom in Christ will have you plucking heads of wheat in a wheat field on a Sabbath day, but out of joy and an appreciation for the creation rather than as he was framed and accused of breaking Sabbath law.

The stiff necks rule, and always have, whether it be in a moderate country like our own, or in an extremist country under Islam. Our stiff necks don't wear robes anymore, they just haven't learned to dance very well. While their stiff necks go around killing all those who disagree with them. And, in common, they don't dance very well either.

Like Rodney King asked, "Can't we all just get along", I agree, but can't we get rid of the smut? I mean, Jesus might have been homeless too, but he was never accused of begging. ...

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Minimalism is a way of life, that even affects art.

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