Are you sick and tired of the assault on Christmas by the secular progressives? How about the overall assault on religion in general? I have never figured out what is driving this but I know I don’t like it one bit. What do these fruitcakes have against Christians, Jews, Buddhists or even Presbyterians? The worst offender is the ACLU – the Anti-Christian Liberals Union. They clog up our courts with specious claims about separation of church and state. And the worst part is that there have been a few crackpot judges along the way who have agreed with them.

Most people think there is a clause in our Constitution that requires the separation of church and state. Anyone who thinks this to be the case is simply wrong. Allow me to educate some of the idiot judges who have chosen to pervert the law. Amendment One to the Bill of Rights of the Constitution very simply says the following. Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. I don’t see anything in this statement about “separation of church and state.”

One of the reasons our Founding Fathers came to the United States was to escape the tyranny of the British which included the imposition of the Church of England upon its citizens. Thus when they were writing the Constitution our Founders prohibited the government from establishing a religion. And they said that the government could not interfere with the practice of any religion by any of its citizens. Now you tell me, how with this intent (and the plain and simple language in Amendment One) that we have reached the point where courts have decided that various religious symbols constitutes the establishment of a religion?  

What we have here is one of the most blatant examples of legislating from the bench. Rather than interpret the Constitution as it was written, certain traitors who don black robes have decided that they will re-write the rules the way they see fit. Sadly, THIS is the real tyranny that our Founding Fathers were trying to escape. In the immortal words of Yogi Berra, it’s déjà vu all over again.

 The House (My Mother’s Version of the Events)

 Although the house I grew up in and my grandparents bought and lived in were the same house, everything about the house and the things that happened in them were quite different. While the family to the outside world looked so beautiful and perfect the house began to take on the ugly hateful appearance.  It was as if the house was changing to reveal the ugliness that was being enacted behind its closed doors, like in the movie, The Picture of Dorion Grey.  To explain this statement I must tell you about the house and the things that went on while my grandparents were alive and after they were dead.

 My grandparents worked hard to buy the house.  They sacrificed, cut corners and saved, but it was a struggle of love. The woodwork sparkled; all the linen was crisp and white. It was said that when you saw the floors in my grandparent’s house they looked like glass. A party was just the reason they needed to show the house off.  It seemed like there was a party of one sort or another every weekend. There were two addresses on the same land deed, the first being the larger of the two, having ten rooms spread over two floors if you didn’t count the cellar as a floor. The address was 767 Versailles Street.   The second had five rooms and only occupied one floor.  To me it always looked like it was created as an after thought, an appendage if you will of the first house.

 Since all of the male children played musical instruments well enough to be in local bands, the house was always full of music.

My Grandfather returned to his beloved West Indies, after he retired from the railroad. The house below was rented out to visiting bands, which were playing at the local nightclubs.

The members of these bands became like family

The Avalons and The Platters were two of the popular groups to rent 765 Versailles Street from my Grandmother.  Any family member passing through the city was welcome to stay at the house without charge as long as they said they were coming in advance. My Grandmother became sick after my Grandfather left and never recovered. She died in her bed at home after talking to all her children. It is said that my Grandmother explained to them that the house was to be left in my Aunt Winnie’s name because she was the oldest girl but it was never to be sold and was to remain in the family as a family house.

It was at this point that greed, jealousy, hurt and mistrust crept into the house. Its stench permeated every drop of air in the house. Whispers of a conspiracy were being alluded to behind every wall and closed-door in the house. The older of the children who had worked and contributed the most towards the buying of the house thought the house should be divided equally between them. The younger children who had cleaned and contributed in other ways thought they were entitled to something as well. In the end a deal was secretly stuck between everyone except my Mother. My Mother refused to allow any change in my Grandmother’s last wishes stating, “The only way I will leave this house and allow you all to violate my Mother’s last wishes for this house, will be over my dead body.”

My Auntie Winnie in time paid everyone else what his or her share would have come to over time and declared the house hers although she would let everyone use it as a family house.  My Grandfather died in the West Indies a short time after my Grandmother.  Auntie Winnie it is said started to write to him while he was ill. When he died he left to her all of his holdings in the West Indies.  This in turn she shared with all of her siblings except (you guessed right if you are thinking) my Mother. I guess she figured if she wouldn’t accept a deal with 767 then she shouldn’t get anything from my Grandfather’s estate either.  My Mother was crushed that my Grandfather would leave everything to my Auntie Winnie.

My Mom was already suspicious of everyone in her family for the way they all conspired to rob her of her inheritance from her mother and now she had all the proof she thought she needed that the whole family was out to get her again. So she took up residence in the family home and served as a constant reminder to my Auntie Winnie that she had not won and that she would never be free to do what ever she wanted to the house as long as she was alive. My Mother took the position that until she saw my Aunt’s will she would not contribute to any cost incurred in the maintenance of the house, fearing that the house would be willed to my Aunt’s daughter. My Auntie Winnie on the other hand maintained that there was no need to show the will and my Mother should just trust her and chip in. They argued and threatened each other and drew the whole family into the argument, and all the while the house slipped into disrepair.

 The House (Another Version of the Events)

 Depending on whom you talk to most versions fall somewhere between my Mother’s and this one, the two versions I talk about represent two extremes of the same story.  I feel that there can be found truth in both versions.  This version is not all that different from that of my Mother’s in anyway that makes a major difference, except for a few points. In this version of the facts it is my Auntie Winnie and my Uncle Milton who contributed the most financially to aid my grandparents with the buying of the house.  Let us say for the sake of argument that they each over time put in a third of the money. All the facts leading up to my Grandmother’s death are the same.  Everyone swears that there was no deal made, secretly or otherwise.  The simple fact of the matter is that everyone with the exception of Auntie Winnie and Uncle Milton claims that they received nothing after their mother’s death by way of inheritance.  Auntie Phyllis wanted a set of her mother’s pots, but even this was denied. 

In this version everyone seems to agree that all the children were told what my Mother said about the house being a family house and not to be sold, but contends the house should have went a third to Auntie Winnie, a third to Uncle Milton and the final third divided between the remaining heirs. By right of heredity alone they would or should have been entitled to something.  As this version goes, after my Grandmother’s death, Uncle Milton needed some cash and offered to sell his portion of the house to Auntie Winnie for the money he had invested. Auntie Winnie accepted the offer and with deed in hand announced that the house belonged solely to her. 

At this point the two stories are very much the same, until the events leading up to death of my Grandfather.  My Mother tells the story of how my Auntie Winnie, who had not really been close or really cared for my Grandfather because of the way he had treated her during and even after she was pregnant with Bunnita started to write him when she found out that he was soon to die.  All of what my Mother says in this instance may not be true; but I remember being told by my Auntie Winnie that she thought my Grandfather to have been a mean man normally and a cruel man when he took a drink. My Uncle Hughie went to visit him and spent some time with him and tried to help him put his affairs in order.  All my Grandfather was able to remember in the end was my Auntie Winnie’s letters and her reward was to inherit all that he owned.  Uncle Hughie was given the money he spent while in the West Indies as well as his travel expenses; everything else went to my Auntie Winnie.  My Mother who always thought that she was his favorite was both hurt and disbelieving, leaving her to feel as though she had been duped again and was in the middle of a grandiose conspiracy. 

As you can see both roads lead the reader to the same conclusion.  Although both parties have moral merit in their arguments, only one has a legal leg. Neither will ever obtain happiness, because neither is able or willing to compromise, but stand content in the waiting of each other out.  In other words waiting for the other to die.

 The Reality

 At first the house could be fixed with some paint, as their relationship could have been with a little fairness, compromise and understanding as did the secrecy, mistrust and bitterness, but as the years past and the cheap way and the Band-Aid solutions became the norm.   There came a time when the house would never recover or regain its former splendor and the same could be said for their relationship. The house was divided against itself and the house of Sealey began to crumble. At first no one outside of the family knew what was going on, but when the house began to look really bad explanations were sought by all that knew and loved my grandparents.

They knew just how proud they were of that house and how they hoped it would be a great thing for their whole family to share in. Everyone knew how ashamed and sad these two pillars of the community would be if they could see the family turning on each other out of greed and jealousy. With the passing of every year the house grew uglier and uglier until it began to reflect the ugliness that permeated the very souls of its inhabitants.

When talking to family members and friends from my Mother’s generation about how the relationship between my Auntie Winnie and my Mother got to be in such a sorry state of affairs, that they could cause the   house in the end to reflect how their relationship really was.  What I found to be true is that if I talked to a hundred people I would get a hundred different versions of the same story.  As this book is intended to help me to look at my life, I felt that I would go with these two versions of what happened between my Mother and my Aunt Winnie and the history of the family. If someone knows different they will be one of many and can feel free to substitute the family history with a version that suits their needs.  After all this is exactly what has been going on for the last eighty years and if we are not careful, we could go on for another eighty. 

My mother is now dead, but the pain and suffering that this jealousy and greed has caused lives on. My sister feels as did my mother and has taken up her fight. Auntie Winnie’s daughter has taken up the cause that it all belongs to her and she will sell the house when her mother dies.  The house is near condemned status and my Auntie Winnie sees it in its past grandeur.  My brother and I do what we can to mend it and make sure my Aunt is comfortable. When my Aunt finally passes I believe so will the house and the Sealey curse and just maybe what will come out of the ashes will be a stronger wiser branch of the family tree that is Sealey.

I don’t think I am alone in saying that this country has gone to shit. It is pointless for me to mention all the areas that we, as a people, are screwing up; ask anyone and they will give you their own gripe-list to which you must listen intently and not disagree. Everyone in this country is an expert on where we came from, where we are, and where we are headed; every opinionated person out there thinks they have the answers and should have their own radio show so as to open the eyes of those addle-minded fools whose opinions differ from their own. People will tell you our issues stem from a lack of family values, or the media, or the education system, or the government, or some other weird and twisted source that is corrupting America not unlike a rotting apple.

However, I feel that the source is much less divisive than these others. I can’t honestly believe that the sad state of this country in so many areas is dependent on such a specific subject. I don’t think liberals are the downfall of this country; I can’t think that, since I am one, and the idea of being the source of all our problems tends to rub me the wrong way. I don’t think it is the government ruining this country. I just can’t abide the fact that education alone is the key to our return to supremacy. The media bandwagon, I can almost jump on that, but I prefer to point the finger at an impressionable public, easily swayed and influenced by the entertainment and news industry; they have no power if we think and question and are not easily influenced by their wares. No, the source of our fall from grace as a powerful nation is simply the lack of a driving force behind what made us great; ambition.

Ambition is what made this country what it is and literally carved out the constitution, declaration of independence, and the bill of rights. It was an ambitious endeavor to overthrow the imperial powerhouse of England and the Queen. It was ambitious to pursue Manifest Destiny, and so on and so on. We have lost this ambition, I think, in these days of difficulty. It may be a lack of ingenuity or a simple feeling of being crestfallen and disenchanted with an increasingly complicated and cynical world. It seems that the drive to rise up, overcome, and make a place in the world for ourselves and future generations has fallen by the wayside as many live paycheck to paycheck and dodge collection agency phone calls. This is now going to take a strange turn as I flip the beginning of this piece to get to the heart of my idea. I think when there is a lack of ambition, the vacuum it leaves behind is filled with a very dangerous attribute, complacency; and nowhere is this more apparent than in the criminal element in America.

America used to be number one with a bullet, literally, back in the roaring 40’s. I would go back further to the old west, but I feel the criminal element then was not as sophisticated as it became from the 30’s to the 60’s. In this time period you had an incredibly capable, powerful, and organized group of criminals operating simultaneously in a frame of time that held the likes of “Baby Face” Nelson, Bonny & Clyde, and the foremost criminal mastermind Al Capone. This is the last era we had in this country of truly great criminals with empires and laundering schemes that make Bernie Madoff look like a third rate pill-pusher from Beverly Hills. These were men with ambition and goals which made them millions of dollars, ownership of police forces and government, and infamous figures in a time of great growth in this country. This is the kind of criminal element we lack today.

The ambition of America has moved to other countries in other forms. Where as the likes of Al Capone squeezed protection money, bought judges, and smuggled whiskey, Mexican drug lords are moving just that, drugs, on a massive scale. Acres of poppy fields in Afghanistan funds the likes of Al Quaeda on a mythical proportion. The closest thing to organized crime has to be the Yakuza, started in the 17th century, and today still lives on. This is where we have come to, we outsource everything to Japan, including organized crime. As far as I can tell the rest of the world has gotten better, and more involved in illicitly illegal crimes while we, as a nation, have stopped turning out masterminds of any kind. You now see corruption in corporate America, not in outright criminals on the streets. Today we here of Ponzi schemes and insider trading instead of shootouts in New York between rival gangs, or bootleggers gunned down crossing the border from Canada. The headlines aren’t exciting and intense, they have become truly scary and horrifying, but for very white-collar reason. This is a result of complacency in the common criminal and a lack of good role models.

Case in point. About a month ago, when the idea of this piece came to me, I was in a Von’s grocery store grabbing some food and I got a six-pack of beer. When I was looking over the beer selection I noticed a tall man, disheveled and shifty-eyed, looking over the beer as well. I really thought nothing of it; in Ventura it is not uncommon to see a clearly homeless person deciding between Mickey’s and Foster’s 40’s by the pair to get them through the evening. I bought my groceries and made my way to my car in the parking lot, thinking about nothing at all, when I heard a woman holler from the direction of the store. Whipping around instinctively, I spied the same man from the beer section moments ago, walking briskly out of the store with a 24-pack of Natural Ice with two female employees in a jogging pursuit.

“Sir! Sir! Come back here, you didn’t pay for that! Sir!” The portly female cashier shrilly hollered after the man who continued speedily down the sidewalk paying no attention to the voice, never casting his gaze anywhere but straight ahead and down. As the second, willowy woman, came up behind the first, she made contact and with an outstretched arm, grabbed at the built-in handle on the beer case, and spun the man around. Oddly, on-lookers in very close proximity did absolutely nothing as two, short women faced off with a petty thief. It was no scuffle though, and it lasted about two seconds as the man spun, tugged very gently with his grip on the beer, and then seemingly just gave up. He let go, pulled a 180, and continued on his way, silent, and quickly disappearing in the direction of Seaward and the beach, as the jolly-looking cashier took the beer back inside.

Now there is much that is surprising in this situation. I have to say that the two glaring, lesser topics that stand out are the fact that the man was pursued out of the store, by two women no less, and the fact that no one did anything at all to assist the women, or apprehend the man. First off I have always been told to NEVER pursue anyone out of an establishment that I worked at. Do not be a hero, because there is no telling what could occur when you are out of your turf, and you never know who you are dealing with. Secondly, that no one came to the aid of these women of diminutive stature as they went head to head with a tree of a man is kind of shocking. From memory I can count about six men and women in immediate proximity to the occurrence that did little more than watch and actually back away. Chivalry clearly was incapacitated that day.

The greatest shock to me, the cynic that I am, was more about the possible decision making process of the assailant; this is where the ambition comes in to play on a very specific and case by case basis. In this case I see a total lack of ambition on his part. IF you are going to steal beer, and possibly go to jail for the crime, there are two things you need to keep in mind. First is that you need to pick a location where you can make a speedy get away or you can disappear quickly in to a crowd. Secondly, and most importantly, is if you are going down possibly, then you had better swipe some decent beer for your trouble. For God-sake, if I was going to steal I would rather get pinched for a 12-pack of Sam Adams than a 24-pack of Natty Ice; take me in to the station for piss flavored beer and I would be thoroughly embarrassed.

A lack of ambition and a self-defeating mentality is what leads to stealing shitty beer. It would stand to reason, for any one I may ask, that they would rather steal good beer than cheap, but this poor man decided very specifically that he wanted to swipe this beer. There was a process in his mind, that he wanted, nay, deserved, this Natural Ice, and not a finer well-crafted expensive beer. His mindset is that he did not consider the quality of the product he was stealing. A more ambitious man would look to the top shelf, get a good beer, or forget the beer entirely and try to hide a bottle of Wild Turkey or something in his shirt to get his drunk on. If he isn’t thinking quality, as he was not with his beer-run selection, then it must have been about just getting drunk, and a bottle of devil’s juice is much more effective than 24 crap-tastic beers. What led to this choice was a lack of ambition, and to a lesser extent, a negative self-image.

When compared to the criminals of the past; bootlegging and transporting illegal brew, gunning down the competition, and strong-arming entire neighborhoods, the man at Von’s is pretty pathetic. Where might he fall on the education ladder? Maybe he finished high school, maybe only part of high school, or maybe he never even got there. Where did Al Capone fall on the education ladder? A mastermind of his level must have gone to Harvard…I doubt it. I am betting that he did not even have a high school diploma, I’ll look this up later. I am betting that besides the odd accountant and lawyer at his disposal, the ilk of  Al Capone’s actual organization probably did not have a very high IQ, and were not college grads. So how did they get to where they got, on par educationally as the common thief, and yet they took over America and drew international attention as great criminals? Again I say ambition.

The men of the times of Capone, Dillinger, and Nelson, were thieves and criminals. They knocked over banks, scared city councilmen, police chiefs, judges, et al., and all while running amok in public and being very well known. Capone was like a celebrity, interviewed often, a public face and a household name, and the man was a wild villain for Christ’s sake! Yet all of these men had an eye for the big time, and sights set on riches and success outside the reach of the long arm of the law. They worked their way up from common street thugs and small timers to heavy weights of celebrity while being unequivocally guilty of unspeakable crimes most of the time. These men built themselves up from nothing with little education, initial means, and some street savvy that they applied to quickly rise through the ranks of great American criminals.

This is an ambition that is hard to come by today. It cannot go without saying that it has become more difficult to rise to a power like Capone inside the borders of America with the complicated and tireless, 24/7 work ethic of national and international agencies.          Today there are more people watching you with more authority, resources, and dedication, than ever in our history. So I do concede that it is very difficult to become a great criminal, and robbing banks is just about impossible, so a modern day Dillinger is out, too. But it does not mean that you can’t, as a common criminal, raise your sights higher so as to achieve something greater than a small score, like a fucking 24-pack of liquid crap. The long con, the hustle, the schemes, laundering, and the possibilities for thievery are still very live today. There is a great vacuum yet to be filled by the bygone gangsters of the past, and there is no reason that a high school grad with barely a penny in his pocket can’t commit himself completely to starting a company, or criminal organization, from the ground up.

This is the key that is missing, besides ambition; organization. It is time that we stop looking out for ourselves and our immediate needs and begin to organize. The Mob is the greatest pyramid scheme ever devised, and if Amway is still fucking advertising on TV, then there is no reason that the Mob can’t make a comeback on an epic level. I am sure it is very complicated, expensive, and treacherous business, but if the lender’s can get a bailout after fucking up as bad as they did, then I think a decent criminal can keep an illegitimate business going like the good old days. Think about the power of coming together and the deniability that comes from a large organization set on one goal of controlling an area and market. After a little elbow grease and blood spilled, I am sure you can get a legit butcher shop, an accountant, a lawyer, a couple of judges and cops, and then start laundering dirty cash and become a pillar in your community. Today we are looking for heroes, no reason you can’t fill those shoes. All it takes is a little commitment to something greater than yourself.

To be clear, I am no criminal, I may be dodging creditors and surviving paycheck to paycheck, but I’m a decent guy trying to make a living. I see myself as ambitious, and I think this is the quality we are missing on a whole, a hunger for something more, and the willingness to go after it, even take it, if we must. Ambition is what we all need, and I think it can work at all levels, even in the gutters and the dregs of the criminal element in this country. Capone was probably no more educated or wealthy when he was starting out than the homeless man at Von’s, but Capone had something in his criminal mind that yearned for more, and never settled for Natty Ice; Capone swiped Moet, and then sold it at 3/4 price to turn a profit, he was a businessman. He, and the men of his time, saw opportunity and had the wear with all to feel that it was in their grasp and they could do it, with less smarts than I have, and it is still possible today if you are only willing to allow yourself to dream…of being Al Capone. I am not advocating crime or criminal unionizing, but if you’re gonna do it, look to our forefathers and Dillinger for some inspiration on how to set your sights high and be ambitious; or at least steal some decent fucking beer for Christ’s sake, it’s embarrassing.

The Judicial Tenure Commission has recommended a 21-day suspension without pay for 36th District Court Judge Brenda Sanders.

The JTC determined that Sanders violated the state constitution when, shortly after being elected judge on Nov. 4, 2008, she filed to run in the special Feb. 24, 2009 Detroit mayoral primary.

Article 6, section 21 of the Michigan Constitution provides that a judge is ineligible for elected office, other than another judicial office, while a judge and for one year after leaving office.

The JTC also found that Sanders violated the Michigan Code of Judicial Conduct by acting as her own campaign treasurer during her mayoral candidacy.

The JTC’s “Decision And Recommendation” is available here.

The Michigan Supreme Court will have the final say on the matter.

After the remarkable of 17 member honorable bench of Supreme Court of Pakistan. Some players of democracy card join by some opportunists are playing Democracy Card and Ethnic Card.

NRO case was in pending before emergency SC just gave a ruling on that . Most of the criticism is based on speculation and this is being done either deliberately or due to ignorance of the facts.

Some points to think for people who are due to ignorance falling into this propaganda:

-Yes,Musharraf needs to be trialed but who is going to invoke article 6. SC has provided solid grounds for that in 31st July 2009 judgment.

-SC has now called for the list of loan-settlements beneficiaries from banks and it will involve all.

-Karachi and Lahore land mafia cases are being opened.

-Recently Karachi City Government’s acres of land is taken back from Army control by SC.

-PPP has a great chance to bring the khakis to justice as well if they come out of the deals they have made.

-Missing persons case is reopened including Dr. Aafia case and the delay is being done by agencies and so called democratic government.

-Bugti case has been registered and in the courts.

And their numerous other good things which are happening .

Establishment is playing games and they will not stop this but it doesn’t mean we start falling into their trap.

Only thing which will stop them for another MERAI AZIZ HAM WATNON or something similar (which is being planned) is a strong judiciary and a good way to keep judiciary out the equation is to destroy its reputation.

Weaknesses are there and if any one has a problem with any judgment then why don’t they challenge it in the court or at least they should have defended it properly in the court if the whole drama is for NRO .

The criticism over creating a team of judges to supervise accountability cases is baseless as their are examples of similar for terrorism cases but no one criticize that. It’s the job of superior judiciary to see what is happening in lower courts. Another thing it will do is to ensure the proper trial without any delays like it has been the practice which was also criticized by many.

The other thing which is being propagated is why only Swiss cases are opened?

This is not the true picture Swiss cases were especially mentioned because it involves international courts otherwise the judgment says to open all the cases.

We need to slowly move towards a system of social-economic justice without losing our track.

These plutocrats (not democrats) are playing democracy card and ethnic card like khakis play national security card.

For once we need to go for across the board accountability without becoming a prey of illusions created by the players of National Security Card, Democracy Card, Shaheed Card, Ethnic Card, Sectarian or any other Card.

God connects the details in His word to one another. Sometimes we wonder why God includes certain chapters, passages, or details in His Bible. Such chapters may be 17-21 in which terrible wickedness is recorded with little divine comment. Serving almost as bookends to these events are chapter 17:6 and 21:25, which both say basically the same thing:

“In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”

More than a historical note, this passage reflects on the people’s rejection of God as king in their hearts. They seek to make Gideon king after God helps him deliver Israel from the Midianites. His son Abimelech then accepts that mantle as king for a time. The people try to have a physical king, but they are uninterested in a spiritual king.

The Contrast Between Judges & Ruth

The ungodliness in the story of Micah, a man of Bethlehem, in Judges 17-18 is overwhelming as he steals silver from his mother, returns the silver to praise only to have it forged into an idol. He finds a corrupt Levite and leads a region into adultery. In chapter 19, another Levite’s wife is unfaithful and run’s back to her father’s home in Bethlehem. Once reconciled, they are assaulted by a mob in Gibeah, which results in the rape and death of the Levite’s estranged wife. Justice remains unserved, and, in chapter 20, much of Israel turns and nearly destroys all of Benjamin. Then the Israelite forces go and slaughter cities who did not participate in battle, and they arrange deception to capture some virgins to give survivors of Benjamin.

We read these passages, and we think, “These are God’s people?” These stories demonstrate what happens when we reject God as king of our lives and set ourselves up as kings.

Then, as we begin Ruth, we meet Elimelech and Naomi from Bethlehem– where Micah and the Levite whose concubine was killed are from. Unlike Abimelech, whose name means “my father is king,” Elimelech means “God is king.” This family in Ruth serve as a stark contrast to these immediately preceding stories. Elimelech and Naomi live under the period of the judges, and, in some old manuscripts, the book we know as Ruth is part of Judges.

Conclusion

Ruth is a book full of tragedy and difficulty, but we see joy and happiness in those who acknowledge God as king compared to those who are ruled by their desires. Despite the rampant immorality surrounding Elimelech and Naomi, they remain unmoved. They do not let a wicked society dictate their godliness. Instead, they serve as a godly example to their children and their step-children. We don’t have to be like those around us. Godliness can exist in godless conditions. It does not matter what is going on in the world around us. We can face tragedy and challenges in this life and look forward to an eternal life of joy with our Father.

lesson by Tim Smelser

Gov. Jennifer Granholm has filled openings in the 18th Probate Court District and the Arenac County Probate Court.

Hersey attorney Marco Menezes has been appointed probate judge for the 18th District, which covers Mecosta and Osceola counties. His term expires Jan. 1, 2011. Menezes received his law degree from Thomas Cooley Law School and received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida. He replaces Judge LaVail Hull, who has resigned.

Richard Vollbach, Jr., the current chief assistant prosecutor for Arenac County and general partner with Broughton & Vollbach law firm, was appointed to the Arenac County Probate Court for a term expiring Jan. 1, 2011. Vollbach received his law degree from the Detroit College of Law and received his bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University. He replaces Judge Jack Scully, who has resigned.

Diggin' for stuff.

Excerpt from: THE PROPHET, a play in process.

(Night Court, JUDGE, AL JONES & Mr. GREENE & Mr. BROWNE,  farmers). 

JUDGE:  Mr. Jones, you stand accused of being a disorderly person and an impostor.  How do you plead?

AL:  Not guilty, your honor.

JUDGE:  Did this man come to your farm and promise to find gold, Mr. Greene?

GREENE: Yes, your honor, he did.

JUDGE:  How about you, Mr. Browne?

BROWNE:  That’s what the rascal claimed.

AL:  I did, your honor.  I never denied it.

JUDGE:  Defendant will remain silent ‘less addressed di-rectly by the court.

AL:  Yes, sir.

JUDGE: How did defendant say he could find the gold, Mr. Greene?

GREENE:  He looks through a magic stone to find it.

BROWNE: You see, your honor?  See how foolish?  Nobody in his right mind would believe such a thing!

JUDGE:  Order, Mr. Browne. You let him do it, so you must have believed it, if  for just a moment. Mr. Jones, do you look through a magic stone?

AL:  I don’t use the stone anymore, your honor. It hurts my eyes.

JUDGE:  He says it hurts his eyes. What kind of stone was it?

BROWNE:  Just this plain old black rock, your honor.  I thought it should be a diamond, at least.

JUDGE:  I warned you, Mr. Browne. You’ll have your turn to speak.

BROWNE:  Yes, sir. I’m sorry, sir.

JUDGE:  What kind of stone did you say it was, Mr. Jones?

AL:  A sorcerer’s stone, your honor. It’s not here, or I’d show it to you.

JUDGE:  It sounds remarkable.

AL:  It is, sir.

JUDGE:  Did either of you two gents see any result from it?

BROWNE:  Not at all, your honor. I knew it was a fraud the minute he said it.  How can you find gold by looking at a plain old black rock?

GREENE:  Your honor, this man looked in three places on my farm: two old hills and a salt spring. He said one treasure was five feet down beside this old stump and there was a tail-feather buried with it. Well, we dug down and found that feather – he found the feather – but we didn’t find no gold, because it moved on down, he said.

JUDGE:  “Moved on down,” was it?

GREENE:  Yes, sir.  It kept sinking deeper and deeper, slipping away from us.

BROWNE:  Sure it did. 

AL:  Excuse me, your honor.  That will happen with haunted treasures.

JUDGE:  “Haunted,” you say?

AL:  Yes, sir. Treasures are buried by men in all manner of strange circumstance. I know one that was fought over by two savages what put it down. One killed the other and throwed him in beside the treasure. The murdered spirit still haunts that hoard and won’t let anybody near it. If you dig for it, it just keeps slipping farther and farther down, faster and faster, and you can’t catch up!

JUDGE:  Doesn’t sound reasonable.

BROWNE:  Ha!  (Draws JUDGE’s frown) Sorry, your honor.

JUDGE:  What was it you heard again, Mr. Greene?

GREENE:  I heard the spade clunk on the old wooden chest, your honor, but you couldn’t dig fast or far enough to catch up with it.

JUDGE:  That happen to you too, Mr. Browne?

BROWNE:  I don’t know about clunks, your honor. All I know, I paid for “certain” digging operations and have got no satisfaction, and only thing “certain” is holes and this man owes me money!

JUDGE:  What have you got to say to all this, Mr. Jones?

AL: Your honor, if I found money, I would give this farmer some money. That was our arrangement. But I didn’t find nothing, so why would I owe him?

BROWNE:  Because there never was nothing to find, you swindler!

JUDGE:  Order, goddammit, Mr. Browne! You was saying, Mr. Greene?

GREENE:  I heard the clunk, your honor. On the end of Albert’s spade, but it just kept slipping down…

BROWNE:   “End of Albert’s spade,” your honor! That says somethin’, don’t it?

JUDGE:  I’ll fine you a hunnerd dollars, if you don’t shut up, Mr. Browne!  (Mr. BROWNE shuts up). You was saying, Mr. Greene?

GREENE:  If I get more men and we all dig faster yet, I bet we could catch right up with it, and we’d all be richer than Croesus!

JUDGE:  If he said there was gold and there ain’t any gold, you was flimflammed, sir.

AL:  Your honor, I told him I could find a “certain” treasure. I didn’t say nothing about gold.

GREENE:  “Three treasures,” you said.

AL:  …and I found them, your honor, but the spirits protected them – as will happen, as previously noted – and I told these gentlemen beforehand that that might happen.

JUDGE:  Is this true?

GREENE:  Yes, sir, it is. He told me right off it might all go to bird poop in the end.

JUDGE: Same with you, Mr. Browne?

BROWNE:  Well, yes sir, but he said we’d all get “certain” rich and…

JUDGE:  Then I see no reason to award any money to anyone. There ain’t nothing “certain” in this life, Mr. Browne, but death, taxes, and my judgments. You’re  old enough to know that and be able to protect yourself from silly business, or should be! However, I do find the defendant guilty of disorderly conduct, because he agitated his employers, made people angry, wasted the court’s time, and irritated the hell out of me. Defendant is fined $2. Anything to say before sentence is carried out, Mr. Jones?

AL:  Your honor, I didn’t waste the court’s time. I didn’t bring this case.

JUDGE:  If I could fine you for being a smarty-aleck, I would. You are also accused of being an impostor.

AL:  Please, your honor, how have I been an “impostor?”

JUDGE:  You lead folks to believe you are a wizard by reason of this so-called seer stone and possession of the sight. Do you really have those things, Mr. Jones? Aren’t you just a carnival pitchman, a cheap snake oil salesman? Maybe even a bunko artiste?

AL:  I have the sight, your honor, yes, and I can see in the stone from time to time, but I am no wizard and I never claimed so. I’m just a humble ordinary man, so I can’t always be right, but the parts that are right come from God.

BROWNE:  Now he claims to be talking to God! (JUDGE bangs gavel).

JUDGE:  Did he claim to be a wizard, Mr. Browne?

BROWNE:  Well, he said he had the seer stone…

JUDGE:  Enough. There’s so much confusion and bad feeling here, I’m going to go ahead and declare defendant guilty of being an impostor too. You did give the distinct impression that you are a wizard, Mr. Jones, and made no attempt to correct the misunderstanding.

AL:  I didn’t know there was a misunderstanding, your honor.

JUDGE:  Do you really mean to argue with me, Mr. Jones?

AL:   No, sir.

JUDGE:  Then herewith, court fines you one additional dollar.

AL:  Yes, your honor.

JUDGE:   I also order you to cease and desist treasure hunting and stone staring, for fun, or profit, and to entice no more good citizens of this county to go digging with you anywhere for anything.

GREENE:  You mean we can’t go digging for gold anymore, your honor?

JUDGE:  You may dig clear to China for anything you want, sir, but Mr. Jones can’t pretend to tell you where to set your spade, or lift a finger to help. Court is adjourned! (Bangs gavel).

BROWNE:  Yippee! Jones is out of business!

GREENE:   Oh, no, I’m ruined! I mortgaged my farm to pay for his digging! I’m stone-broke!

BROWNE:  At least, Jones won’t be foolin’ no more stupid people!

(Mr. GREENE assaults Mr. BROWNE.)

 THE END

Editor’s Note: Mr. Jones went on to become the founder and first leader of a major international religion, but never used seer stones again.

Whitman Mission model.

Many people are of the opinion that army under Kiyani is different than army under Musharraf. I have doubts and disagreements over this statement.

If Kiyani is somewhat different then he needs to come out of that filthy NRO-Musharraf Protection-War against humanity deal.

According to which:
1) PPP and liberal alliance got NRO.
2) Pervaiz Musharraf got protection from article 6 proceedings.

America and Army (Kiyani represented the army) were the brokers of the deal.

The main thing which made this deal possible was the commitment of both army and PPP to fight this war against humanity and peace.

Pak Army/ISI are not fighting against USA and allied forces , they are giving them safe passage for their 95% supplies for Afghanistan(An impression is being given by establishment that operations in tribal areas are not against our tribes but are against CIA backed groups). They are giving protection to their assets in Shamsi, Tarbaila Ghazi etc .Missing persons case is still running and still the facts are not presented to courts by army/agencies.

I can say the change in their behavior is coming when:

1) They decide to come out of this war.
2) Take their support to US and allies forces back.
3) Kiyani invokes army act 1952 against Musharraf for treason.
4) Army decides to leave their forceful control over Pakistan’s economic resources especially land.
5) Generals stop building their image and focus on national security and not on ways of capturing powers and political influence.

Our Quaid had a great visionary mind and we can still learn from what he said:

“I am persuaded to say this because during my talks with one or two very high-ranking officers I discovered that they did not know the implications of the Oath taken by the troops of Pakistan. Of course, an oath is only a matter of form; what are more important are the true spirit and the heart.” – Jinnah at Staff College Quetta 14th June 1948

And what oath they take currently:
[Article 244]

“(In the name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful.)
I, ____________, do solemnly swear that I will bear true faith and allegiance to Pakistan and uphold the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan which embodies the will of the people, that I will not engage myself in any political activities whatsoever and that I will honestly and faithfully serve Pakistan in the Pakistan Army (or Navy or Air Force) as required by and under the law.”

If an unlawful command is given then constitution says not to obey it and in the oath our soldiers swear in the name of Allah to uphold the constitution.

The best thing army can do is to become a national army and stop acting like an occupied force which serves the motives of imperialist powers.

Source: http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=25928

By Rauf Klasra

ISLAMABAD: If you thought that only civilian and politicians got billions of rupees worth of loans written off from state-owned banks, you thought wrong.

Records now show that many top military officers got their loans written off. This lucky lot included five lieutenant generals, two major generals and a battalion of other senior uniformed beneficiaries, with some Army (mis)managed institutions to boot.

The Army controlled institutions also got their share from the national plunder with the Army Welfare Trust (AWT) got a massive loan written off worth Rs 14.49 million from a state-owned financial entity, which is now defunct (hardly a surprising fate).

Some of the cases were, however, genuine as their loans were written off in accordance with rules.

According to the official list of loan write-off beneficiaries tabled in the National Assembly, Lt General (retd) Ali Kuli Khan and his father Lt General Habibullah Khan had their loans written off. General Kuli had shot to prominence when he was ignored by the then prime minister Nawaz Sharif in favour of Gen Musharraf in a bid to succeed General Jehangir Karamat as the next COAS.

The list shows that General Kuli Khan got two loans written off from the Allied Bank of Pakistan while he was still serving in the Army in the mid 90s. The first loan was of Rs1.8 million and second was Rs1.6 million outstanding against Janana De Malucho Textile Mills Limited, Kohat owned by his father General (retd) Habibullah Khan. General Kuli was then one of the directors of the textile mills. After the death of General Habib, he became the chief executive of this textile unit. General Habib, too, was a beneficiary of this loan write off.

It’s a little known fact that Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani had once served as the staff officer to General Ali Kuli Khan during his stint as Chairman Joint Chiefs of staff in 1998 when Jahangir Karamat was the Chief of Army Staff (COAS). General Kuli shot to prominence within the ruling political circles when he was heard opposing the forced resignation of General Kamarat and had indicated to make Nawaz Sharif ‘fall in line’ if he became the next COAS. Later, Gen Kuli Khan had denied this charge in an interview with this correspondent. But, Ch Nisar Ali Khan had also confirmed to this correspondent in an interview that Ali Kuli was not elevated to the post of the Army chief precisely for this reason after some of his quotes were conveyed to Nawaz Sharif.

Talking to The News from Peshawar, General (retd) Ali Kuli Khan said that he “did not remember” getting any loan written off by him during his military service. General Kuli said, “There might be some rescheduling of the loans by the banks outstanding against the mills.” He said only the politicians get loans written off by using their clout. Of course, general can dare anyone argue with that logic.

Lt General (retd) K M Azhar, who later became active in politics, of Rex Breen Batteries got Rs16 million written off by the Agriculture Development Bank. His business partners were Misbah Azhar, Sward Azhar, Ahmed Jamal Siddiqui, Syed Ijaz Ahmed Hashmi, Mauro Dr Bashir Ahmed.

Lt General (retd) SA Burkey and Lt General (retd) Safdar Butt also figure amongst the happy generals benefiting from the state institutions generosity.

Another prominent name on the list is that of Air Marshal (retd) A Rahim Khan.

Air Marshal (retd) Viqar Azeem also got Rs15 million written off from Pakistani Kuwait Investment Co. Lt General (retd) SA Burkey, Major General Zahid Ali Akbar, Brig MM Mahmood, Begum Omar Mahmood, Saeed Ahmed also got loans written off.

Gohar Ayub Khan, brother of General Kuli Khan—Raza Kuli Khan also got a loan of Rs7.2 million written off against Rehana Woolen Mills. Tariq Ayub Khan, Zahid Ahsan, Ahsan Khan were the directors of the mills whose loan was written off by the financial institution SAPICO.

Major General (retd) M Mumtaz from Abbottabad, Lt Colonel (retd) Shaukat and Major (retd) Tajuddin Rs1.2 million, Major General (retd) Ghaziuddn are also in the list. Major General (retd) G Umar also got Rs8.5 million written off from the Agriculture Development Bank.

Lt General (retd) Safdar Butt, Major General (retd) Abdullah Malik, Brig (retd) M M Mahmood, Col (retd) M Zafar Khan, Mohammad Afzal Khan, Mrs Hamida Farhat also got benefits from the UBL. General (retd) Abdullah had resigned after the military coup of General Zia and had opposed the military take over of July 1977.

Talking to The News, Brig (retd) Mahmood denied that his industrial unit EFF, EFF Industries had got the loan written off. He clarified that he had entered into an agreement with the bank but this package was never implemented until recently.

The list also names Brig (retd) M A Baig and Qamar Ahmad, BA Siddiqi, Zubair Rashid, Mohammad Sadiq Baig, Riazur Rehman, Mrs Mamomnna Khatoon, Mrs Mehr Riaz, Mr Taufiq Ahmed Rs 1.09 million (UBL). Lt-Col (retd) Ch M Anis Ahmed, Col Atta ullah, Shahid Atta, Mst Qamar un Nisa Rs 2.6 million, Irfan Rice Mills of Col (retd) Nazar Hussain Rs 1.6 million, Mehr Textile Mills, Chakwal, Col Mohammad Ayub Khan, Ch Nisar Ali Khan, Ch Asad Ali Khan, Mrs Sultana Zakia, Mohammad Nawaz, Ch Ghulam Ali Khan. Major General (retd) Khadim H Raja, Air Marshal (retd) A Rahim Khan, Mrs Sattar Azim Khan also got loan written off.

Mohammad Textile Mills Limited of Air Commodore (retd) Amanullah got a loan of Rs95 million written off from the UBL. His other business partners were Khurshid Alam, Mohamamd Rafiq, Mrs Bilquis Begum, Tanveer Ahmed, Naseer Ahmed, Begum Sultana Fammay Khan, Sobia Fammy Khan.

Air Vice Marshal (retd) Ata Elahi Sheikh of the National Fructose Limited also got Rs43 million written off. His business partners were Shakirullah Durrani, Mohammad Aslam, Qamaruzaman, Syed Safiullah, Dr Mohammad Yousuf, Khan Akbar Majeed and TR Sariq.

Sairani Cotton Ginning Factory owners Capt (retd) Shahraz Latif and his business partners Shahnaz Latif, Ch Mohammad Ashraf also got loan written off. Air Marshal (retd) A Rashid Sheikh, Air Vice Marshal (retd) S Moinur Rab, Group Captain (retd) Mohammad Ismal Khan, Salman Rashid of Sky Rooms Limited got Rs 8.4 million loan written off. Brig (retd) SM Bakar Naqvi, Mian Ahmed Rabbani, Pervez Iftikar Khan, Abdul Aziz, NM Khanzada and Major (retd) Afzalul Haq also among the beneficiaries.

Col (retd) M Yaqoob of Aswan Tentage and Canvas got a huge loan of Rs276 million written off from Bankers Equity. His other business partners were Col (retd) M Yaqoob, Mohamamd Afzal Chugtai, Mohammad Siddiqi, Haji Ghulam Sabir and Idris Ahmed Butt. Farook Pulp of Mjaor Nasim A Farooqi, Naeem A Farooqi, Pervez Farooqi, Munir Ahmed Khan and Saleem Farooqi got 2.1 million loan written off.

Captain (retd) Shaukat of Locus Enterprises got Rs8.8 million written off. His business partners were Wiqar Abbas, Khalid Khan, Col (retd) M Sadiq Khan, Nabil Hasan, Masoud Abbasi and Abdul Razak. Raja Iftikar Kiani of Ms Alliance Textile Mills, Jhelum got a wavier of Rs16 million from the MCB.

A Lt-Col, who owned the Meditex Intl got Rs6.322 million written off from the HBL. His business partner was Col (retd) Bashir Ahmed. Commander Abdul Latif also got Rs 10 million written off. Shangrila Macropole Inn, Lahore got Rs4.3 million loan written off. Brig (retd) Mohammad Aslam Khan and Co got Rs4.3 million written off. Feroz Sons Textile Mills Mirpur owners Col (retd) Munir Hussain, Nasim Farms’s and Major General (retd) Qazi Nasim Majeed are also among the beneficiaries.

Col (retd) Saleem of Special Iron and Steel Mills Limited, Lt General (retd) Habibullah Khan, Brig (retd) M Jan Hahang M Khandawala, Raza Kuli Khan, Col (retd) M Sharif Khan, Begum Tehmina Habibullah, M I Khurram, M Nazir Khan and IA Khurram are also among the beneficiaries.

Major (retd) Mohamamd Anwar, S Aijaz Ali Shah, S Amjad Ali Shah, S Ghulam Qadir, S Aftab Ali Shah, S Ali Gohar Shah, S Amin Shah also on the list. Lt-Col (retd) M Jaffar, JH Dinshaw Rs 7.2 million, Chemphar Pakistan Limited of Brig (retd) Shareef Rahat, Captain (retd) AM Murad and Major (retd) Tariq Baig are also among the beneficiaries.

“Then Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said, behold, I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said.”  And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water.  Then Gideon said to God, “Let not your anger burn against me; let me speak just once more. Please let me test just once more with the fleece. Please let it be dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground let there be dew.”  And God did so that night; and it was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew.” – Judges 6.36-40

Gideon within the previous part of the narrative was approached by Yahweh’s messenger and called to be a deliverer and within the same day he was also given a task, that was to destroy the altar to Baal.  Something which Gideon did in secrecy of night.  Within the next movement of the story, we find that Gideon is quickly found out and pushed closer to his task of delivering his people, from their oppressors all the while testing God again and again.  Within this portion while we may see a leader who may seem a little wishy-washy, we see a God who is has extreme power over all things, notably the dew of nature here.

So while Gideon may not still seem the perfect candidate to be a part of God’s chosen leaders, we still see that we can faith in God, though it may not seem like it.

“When the men of the town rose early in the morning, behold, the altar of Baal was broken down, and the Asherah beside it was cut down, and the second bull was offered on the altar that had been built.  And they said to one another, “Who has done this thing?” And after they had searched and inquired, they said, “Gideon the son of Joash has done this thing.”  Then the men of the town said to Joash, “Bring out your son, that he may die, for he has broken down the altar of Baal and cut down the Asherah beside it.”  But Joash said to all who stood against him, “Will you contend for Baal? Or will you save him? Whoever contends for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because his altar has been broken down.”  Therefore on that day Gideon was called Jerubbaal, that is to say, “Let Baal contend against him,” because he broke down his altar.” – Judges 6.28-32

Despite Gideon doing all of his work in secret it doesn’t take long for him to be found out.  For we found out quickly that the men of the town woke up early, and found out the deed that had been done, and then as we see within a few sentences later, already know who has done it[1].

We see twice in this verse, the phrase “this thing”, “thing” comes from the Hebrew word dābār, which has the idea of a word to thing, including an action, thus a “deed,” it is repeated twice here, to be “emphasized”, but also for “effect[2].”  The people of the town are angry and it is because Gideon has just destroyed what to them meant hope for “prosperity and fertility[3].”  After all if one remembers they were indeed already experiencing great hardship due to their oppressors, and sadly since they had put their trust in the wrong things, which were now destroyed, their hope was failing.

As a side note, there are two idols mentioned within this passage, Baal and Asherah, both of whom were rather important gods of the Canaanite pantheon.  There has been debate over what exactly the Asherah was, it seems to be a “wooden pole,” “tree,” or “an idol,” the object, whatever it was signified the goddess.  The goddess seems to be equated the Athirat, who was consort of El, and the Mother Goddess so to speak[4].  Some wonder if at times the Israelites in their syncretism of Yahweh placed Asherah in that position.  Baal is the Storm god, and was the go to god when one needed help with their crops, he would seem to be equated with Hadad, a well known Middle Eastern Strom God, with Baal perhaps being only a title[5]. (Ba’al means lord in Hebrew).

In a way in verse thirty we see why Gideon was afraid, for the townsfolk upon seeing the destruction of their religious item, were angered enough to kill him, in a sad way it reveals how far the people have moved away from Yahweh, for they would kill Gideon, for the destruction of a false idol, instead of praising him for upholding the true God[6].

Joash refuses to allow the townspeople to bring any harm upon his son, something which shows that though the people might be bad, they aren’t as bad as the actions of another judge[7].  Joash begins to ask certain questions, to defend his son’s life, and although he may be seen as “confident [in] that Baal can take care of himself,” he does bring up a good point[8].  Joash makes a theological statement of sorts, namely, if Baal was a God, then he would be able to defend his own name, note though, Joash doesn’t say that Baal isn’t a god, but does begin to question, moreover one could note that Joash has now distanced himself from the altar, whereas in 6.25, Yahweh said it was Gideon’s “father’s” altar, here, it is Baal altar.  As one reads this, one might really ponder, why should a man defend his a god’s honor, need to save his own god, rather it would seem a good god could defend his own honor, and save himself[9].

Gideon is given another name, Jerubaal, but ironically, Gideon might have tore down an altar, but he really didn’t challenge Baal, Joash, the idol’s owner did[10].  Yet on another note it be might be stated, that Gideon has here, also ironically earned himself a name after another god, Baal, for doing the work of Yahweh.  Moreover the ironies abound in his name, for while Gideon contended more so not with Baal, but Yahweh’s angel[11].  Still, one can note, despite all this that it does bring to heart again, that Baal couldn’t defend his own name, even against Gideon, who was if anything a “timid contender,” and thus as Yahweh moves into action in the latter part of the narrative, it begs the question of why the Israelites would want to place their trust in this idol[12]?

When Gideon destroyed the altar, in a way he called Baal to action, but no action came from the idol.  So often we can put out faith into a bunch of different things.  We make our own Baals and Asherahs easily.  But the fact of the matter is that Yahweh is the only one who we out to place out faith in.  Moreover, while Baal couldn’t lift a finger to do anything, we know that Yahweh moves and does act.  He acts to the point that Jesus came to this earth as our savior.  When the things that we place our trust in, prove to be the wrong things, we can realize that we do have a real God whom we can place our trust in and in whom it will not be shattered.

“Now  all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the East came together, and they crossed the Jordan and encamped in  the Valley of Jezreel.  But the Spirit of the Lord clothed Gideon, and he sounded the trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called out to follow him.  And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, and they too were called out to follow him.  And he sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they went up to meet them.” – Judges 6.33-35

Verse thirty-three begins and we once again reminded of the various oppressors which had been harming the Israelites.  There re-mention, reminds us of the predicament the Israelites were in, but also tells us of the “gravity of the situation,” which they were facing[13].  The Oppressors have taken their place in a rather strategic spot, one which is seen in other battles, one could note 1 Samuel 29, but also Yahweh makes mention in Hosea 1.5[14] that “And on that day  I will break the bow of Israel  in the Valley of Jezreel.””  Moreover the enemy isn’t just coming closer; they are within the very “heart,” of the territory of Manasseh and are a stone’s throw away from Gideon’s own city.  Things, are indeed looking grim at this point[15].

While other judges, namely Othniel, Jephthah, and Samson all have interactions with the Spirit of Yahweh, Gideon is the only one said to be “clothed,” by it.  Othniel for instances it is said in Judges 3.10 “The Spirit of the Lord was upon him, and he judged Israel. He went out to war, and the Lord gave Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand. And his hand prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim.”  This clothing gives him a sort of “divine power,” and to “summon[s] him to battle… as the Commander[16].”

Like Deborah and Barak, Gideon calls up together other tribes to his in the upcoming battle, yet the tribes of different, and unlike the previous deliverers, there is no mention of any refusing Gideon’s banner[17].  Some of the tribes which Gideon call to battle would have been far away from his territory, such as Asher and Naphtali and thus one would have thought that these would be like Deborah’s and Barak’s tribe which didn’t come[18].  It should be noted that each deliverer within the book which calls a tribe to help them, doesn’t call all of the tribes, but specific ones, and its only in Deborah’s and Barak’s tale where the tribes who weren’t called or didn’t come considered to have done wrong[19].

While there has been some side story, explaining God’s chosen leader and his back story we are bought suddenly back to view of the enemy and what Yahweh has exactly called Gideon to do.  We are reminded of course of the dire situation that the people were in and the very true fact of that needed divine intervention to help bring them out of it.  Luckily their god was Yahweh and not Baal and thus were in a lot better position than they could be.

As we come into those dark times in our life, we should hopefully remember that our god is a god able to help us through those times.  Of course it might not be in the way we would want, but it will be in the way we need.  As we face those dark times, it would do us good to rely on Yahweh and not the various Baals which we were so apt to face instead.  Morever like Gideon we have God’s holy spirit within us to help us at all times.  Although unlike Gideon the Holy Spirit is with us to stay, and to be our constant helper for more thing then winning a needed battle or two.

“Then Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said, behold, I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor. If there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said.”  And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water.  Then Gideon said to God, “Let not your anger burn against me; let me speak just once more. Please let me test just once more with the fleece. Please let it be dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground let there be dew.”  And God did so that night; and it was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew.” – Judges 6.36-40

Right when we would have expected to see the battle, instead we see Gideon questioning God once more and showing either a timid faith or an outright lack of it[20].  And it is at this crux, of when one would have expected the battle to start, that Gideon’s disappearing conviction is all the more highlighted.  Jerubaal, after wants to be sure, beyond a shadow of a doubt that Yahweh will be with him in this upcoming battle.  In a way this returns to the previous portion of the narrative with Yahweh’s angel waiting for Gideon to bring the food, and we see here in a sense Yahweh waiting patiently for Gideon to trust that Yahweh really did call him[21].

Again, Gideon “tests” God, and as he does so this time, he dictates what the test will and where it will be.  Again, it’s on the threshing floor, and we see that with Gideon he does anything but thresh, upon the threshing floor.  As Schneider puts it, “Gideon did nothing in the appropriate places[22].”  Gideon who was the origination of the test, sees that his test has been completed and done as exactly as he had requested, yet he’s not pleased for some reason[23].  While Gideon should have been happy that God passed and thus go on his way, he needed more.   And so he comes to again to God, asking him not to be angry, as he tests God once more.

The reason for a double test, might perhaps be because, the first one to Gideon might not have seem something hard, after all, if the fleece was absorbent enough it could very well be wet even after the ground seem dry, (especially if it was laid on rock, which could have dried up quite quickly) but this second test would prove to be a test which couldn’t be explained away, except divine intervention[24].  Thus it would then stand to reason that the while the first test should have been enough, the second one was “the true miracle[25].”

With the second test successful completion, Gideon is at last happy to go along with God’s plan it would seem.

God proved himself to Gideon and did so in an air of patience it would seem.  Though Gideon should have gone to battle after calling together the troops, instead, he questions God.  At points in our life it seems that though we know what we ought to do, we still find the need to question God.  Of course, we can’t and really shouldn’t do the sort of things which Gideon had done for God, yet when in doubt we do have our own courses of actions which we are able to take.  For instance, we have prayer and the bible which we can look at readily.  When in doubt we have provided to us the words of God, to help guide of our decision and know what it is that God wants to do.

In Conclusion:

We have the tools which we need to go through life, even in the dark and hard parts of life.  And while things may be tough indeed, we can rely on God and know he’s there.  We have can hope in that, hope in our living acting God.  Instead of having hope in false gods, hopes in our own Baal.

[2] B 135

[3] M86

[4] IVPOTH 140, 135

[5] 136-137

[6] S 108-9

[7] S 109

[8] B135

[9] D 141

[10] S 109

[11] M 87

[12] M 87

[13] B 138

[14] M 88

[15] MH 251

[16] M 88-9

[17] M 89

[18] MH 251

[19] S 109

[20] M 89

[21] B 140

[22] S 110

[23] S 110

[24] M 89 D 142

[25] B 141

(Sorry to all three of you who read this ^.^ for having uploaded this one so late… should have been here a week ago… Ack!)

“And the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor.”  And Gideon said to him, “Please, sir, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian.”  And the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?”  And he said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.”  And the Lord said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.”  And he said to him, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, then show me a sign that it is you who speaks with me.” – Judges 6.12-17

In the previous story we saw the Israelites were doing wrong again Yahweh’s sight.  In so doing Yahweh brought about a harsh punishment to bring them back to him.  But he also showed mercy in sending them a prophet to call the people to repentance and to return back to the god of their forefathers.  Now we come to Yahweh, again showing mercy toward his people as he calls Gideon, to be their deliverer.  In meeting Gideon we will get to meet one of the more complicated men of the book of Judges, a man who at point is worthy of emulation, but at other point is an example of what not to be.  Even still Gideon’s calling is a story which helps to highlight this very thing

With Gideon who will on one hand do what Yahweh has called him to do, but on the other hand will shrink in fear, when he ponders the wrath of his family.

“Now the angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash  the Abiezrite, while his son  Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites.  And the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, “The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor.”  And Gideon said to him, “Please, sir, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the Lord has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian.”” Judges 6.11-13

Gideon’s Story opens up to us and we see that, despite God sending a prophet, in the previous verses, it seems that either his message hasn’t been listened too, or that the prophet’s message helped to prepare the people for the coming of Yahweh’s new Deliverer[1].  Gideon’s call is different from the other deliverers of the book, namely in the way that we see Yahweh’s direct actions in his calling.[2] Yahweh’s angel, or messenger, comes to a place called Ophrah, which though it is uncertain where it is, it is thought to be in the Jezreel Valley, which is in the territory of Manasseh[3].  It’s been suggested that the “terebinth,” is something akin to Deborah’s palm tree in the previous narrative, however sadly here, the tree would be for Baal, and not Yahweh[4].

Gideon’s name means something like “hewer” or “hacker,” which he is aptly named, as his actions will later show[5].  At the moment however, we see that Gideon, is a man who is “living in fear,” like his fellow kinsmen, for he is hiding his activities from his oppressors[6].  It is in this time of “fear,” that Yahweh’s Messenger comes to Gideon, to deliver a message.  The Messenger appears to Gideon, at the “threshing floor,” albeit an unusual one, the threshing floor is a place of interest, one which has its importance to other biblical characters, such as Ruth and David[7].  The way that the Messenger addresses Gideon as a “mighty man of valor,” shows that there is place great confidence upon Gideon for the task that is to come, but also a sort of ironic title, as Gideon is seen hiding, playing the sort of trickster role at the moment[8].

When Gideon addresses the Angel, he does so politely, “Please sir[9].”  But even still he does ask a poignant question, if Yahweh is really with his people, why are they under so much turmoil[10]?  Moreover Gideon though he may be asking something politely, still asks a question which is in a very real sense “arrogant,” as he asks about where are the deeds of old he had been told about, and in a way he could be saying “what has God done lately for me[11].”  How ironic though, that he’s asking this question directly, so to speak, to Yahweh himself.  Gideon however has partly missed the point, he brings out the “us,” the whole of the Israelite community in this discussion, but the messenger only spoke to Gideon, when saying “Yahweh was with you.[12]”

Even when times seem the darkest, and when God doesn’t seem to be around, he is acting.  Gideon was only a few generations removed from the time of the Exodus and God’s great miracles and yet he was having doubts, doubts per say if those actions of God’s had ever occurred.  Even when times seem the darkest, and when God doesn’t seem to be around, he is acting.  Gideon may have doubted, but still God came to him.  God’s actions had occurred in the past, and we still occurring, even in the darkness that Gideon was still in.  As God’s actions are still now occurring, even though the world may seem to be in a very dark place, God still moves and still acts.  There are reasons sure, for why bad things may happen, the Israelites were the cause of their problem, but God’s controlling hand was in all of it.  And even as Gideon questioned his God, God did not back down (as seen in the following verses) and even moves to show himself, and to prove that he acts.  Therefore even now as we might question, do not think that God is backing away from us, for he proves himself even still today.

“And the Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?”  And he said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.”  And the Lord said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.”” – Judges 6.14-16

At this point, Yahweh’s messenger fades into background, as Yahweh himself enters the conversation, Gideon is now in a three party conversation, and yet doesn’t even realize it, nor does he realize yet, that he is speaking to someone more than human[13].  Yahweh then begins to challenge Gideon that perhaps it was his time for leadership, in a Mosaic sort of fashion.  Yahweh tells Gideon to go, and do that which the people wanted, namely deliverance from Midian, in Gideon’s “strength,” (something as unclear to us, as it was Gideon) and moreover he even states “Do not I send you?,” that is in a way that Gideon was to become a new messenger for Yahweh[14]?

As Gideon makes up excuses for why he cannot be a leader, (as did Moses), it seems to fall on deaf ears, for when Yahweh responses to him, he merely says “I will be with you.”  Yet these words are almost the same words he used in Exodus 3.12 when dealing with Moses[15].  “He said, “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you:” – Exodus 3.12b  Gideon claimed that he was the least, or youngest in his family and he see this is a reason for why he shouldn’t have any sort of claim to a leadership role, but as his story goes on, we’ll find this issue raised again, but here it should be noted that Yahweh choose who he will, no matter their family ranking[16].  Despite Gideon’s protest, Yahweh merely repeats, his words and says that Gideon will defeat the Midianites[17].

God calls who he will, be they the least in their house, or someone with a lack of faith.  Moreover as God called even Gideon, he has called us too, to certain task.  Did not Jesus commission all those that believed in him to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”” – Matthew 28.19-20.  It doesn’t matter who we are God can and will use us for his purposes.  Moreover as God promised Gideon that he was with him, we too have this promise, for again didn’t Jesus promise us at the end of his commission that he was with us “always?”

“And he said to him, “If now I have found favor in your eyes, then show me a sign that it is you who speaks with me.  Please do not depart from here until I come to you and bring out my present and set it before you.” And he said, “I will stay till you return.”

So Gideon went into his house and prepared a young goat and unleavened cakes from an ephah of flour. The meat he put in a basket, and the broth he put in a pot, and brought them to him under the terebinth and presented them.  And the angel of God said to him, “Take the meat and the unleavened cakes, and put them on this rock, and pour the broth over them.” And he did so.  Then the angel of the Lord reached out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened cakes.  And fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. And the angel of the Lord vanished from his sight.  Then Gideon perceived that he was the angel of the Lord. And Gideon said, “Alas, O Lord God! For now I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face.”  But the Lord said to him, “Peace be to you. Do not fear; you shall not die.”  Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and called it, The Lord is Peace. To this day it still stands at Ophrah, which belongs to the Abiezrites.” Judges 6.17-24

Gideon wants some sort of sign to “confirm,” what this messenger, and by extension Yahweh has been telling him[18].  He doesn’t know who the messenger is quite yet, and moreover he may not exactly trust in the power of Yahweh, as evidence by his earlier comments[19].  Gideon want to be sure, after all that Yahweh really would be with him, and that the person he was speaking too wasn’t just some nut.  And this moreover continues the similarities with Gideon’s call and that of Moses, as now signs are preformed to prove to the appointed leader, that yes Yahweh is with them[20].  And that yes, His power is sufficient, what the task which has appointed them to.

In a sense this whole bit of the story is a little comical, as Gideon gets up to leave, he in an indirect sort of way, “orders” Yahweh’s Messenger to stay put[21].  Then as Boling notes the response of “I will wait,” by the Messenger is one which is of the Messenger being “wryly” compliant[22], it almost “comical” how the Messenger, waits to show that the words of God are true to Gideon[23].  Moreover that Gideon has just given a direct command in a way to God himself.  Gideon brings to this messenger food, and at this time of force famine, this doubly valuable and thus a very precious thing that he brings to the Messenger[24].

Moreover it would almost seems that Gideon perhaps gives more so then he needed, as needed, as an ephah of flour is makes enough bread for a dinner with a bull, and Gideon only sacrificed for a goat[25].  It been noted though, that Gideon seems to go overboard on many different things.  When Gideon returns, we see that phrase of “Yahweh’s Angel” pops up back into view.  (Although the Messenger has yet to leave, it could also be noted that in the LXX the Messenger doesn’t drop out in verses 14 and 16).  In a quick movement, the Messenger burns up the food and follows that by suddenly disappearing[26].  Yahweh’s messenger sudden disappearance, is literally he “walked away from his sight,”  it is from this point that Gideon will deal directly with Yahweh, no longer his messenger, and also when he suddenly realizes who he had been speaking to[27].

At the Messenger’s disappearance, Gideon, at last fully realizes that he wasn’t talking to any normal persons, but instead to the Angel of Yahweh, and thus fears, rightly for his life[28].  Although Yahweh’s Angel might have left the scene, Yahweh himself, is still here, as he responses to Gideon, assuring him directly of his safety, it should also be noted this is the first time in the book, where a character did not realize he who he was in contact with[29].

It is now clear to Gideon that he had been called to do Yahweh’s work, and that he was not going to get off from doing it, and so Gideon acknowledges this by building an altar where he was.  Sadly, while the altar is built as a devotion tool, it will later become a tool for “idolatry and corruption[30].”  Gideon calls the Altar, Yahweh-Shalom, Yahweh is peace, and this harkens back to verse twenty-three where Yahweh calls to Gideon “peace to you[31].”  However there is a bit irony here in that while after seeing the display of Yahweh’s Messenger, and building this altar, Gideon will show fear in tearing one down in just a few sentences to come[32].

Yahweh in this whole section shows himself to be the patience God that he is, (and this is only the beginning test that Gideon gives to him).  We can from this though see that God is truly a patience person, even when he has called Gideon, he allowed him a little time to seek the truth.  While God doesn’t audible call us, or answer our questions, he had given us his words via the scriptures.  In seeking to follow him, we can turn to the scriptures and seek to know what he has in store for us, moreover we should have an ample supplies of fellow Christians to help us along the way, and older wise one to help in seeking what God’s will might really be for us.

“That night the Lord said to him, “Take your father’s bull, and the second bull seven years old, and pull down the altar of Baal that your father has, and cut down  the Asherah that is beside it and build an altar to the Lord your God on the top of the  stronghold here, with stones laid in due order. Then take the second bull and offer it as a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah that you shall cut down.”  So Gideon took ten men of his servants and did as the Lord had told him. But because he was too afraid of his family and the men of the town to do it by day, he did it by night.” – Judges 6.25-27

The same night that God calls Gideon, he also give him a task, one which also confirms the actual sin of the people, idolatry (again), that task is simple, to tear down the altar meant for Baal[33].  It is also suddenly brings to light the fact that Gideon’s family might not be as low, as Gideon had said before, for they not only own the altar to Baal, but also have an Asherah beside it!  Gideon does the action, but his response of it “seems mixed,” after all though he does the deed, he does so with the help of ten servants,(again his having ten servants showed his family was not so lowly as he had made it out) and he does so also by night hidden from his village, instead of broad daylight[34].

Gideon has done the deed, as he has been called too, but we see at the end of this section also a sort of comment on his leadership.  While yes he did the deed that was Yahweh asked of him, but because of fear, he did it by night, in the beginning of the book of Judges, the deliverers did their job because of a commitment to Yahweh and right actions, but by Gideon, he does his job only after being called by Yahweh himself, and still only at night[35].

In Conclusion:

At looking at the story of Gideon we can something very true about the character of God and that is namely that even when it seems that he isn’t active within our lives he is, and moreover that he may present himself in ways we may not even realize.  Times were dark for Israelites when Yahweh called Gideon, to the point when Gideon even questioned the validity of the claims concerning Yahweh and God showed up and showed that he was able to do those claims.  Even now when things may seem dark, and God nowhere near is he there.

Moreover, God can and will use who he will, as evidenced by Gideon, who seems anything but the best choice for God’s deliverer.  Yet, even still as will be seen later on Gideon does what needs to be done and proves again that God’s controlling hand is in all.

[2] Matthews 83

[3] S 103

[4] S 103

[5] Boling 130

[6] Davis 139

[7] M 83

[8] M 84

[9] Boling 131

[10] Davis 140

[11] S 104

[12] B 130-1

[13] B131

[14] S 104-5

[15] S 105

[16] S 105

[17] S 105

[18] B 132

[19] S 104

[20] M84

[21] S105

[22] B 132

[23] M 84

[24] D 140

[25] B 133

[26] S106

[27] B 133

[28] D140

[29] S 107

[30] M85

[31] B 134

[32] S 107

[33] S 107

[34] S 107-8

[35] S 108

The final chapter of my daughter’s on going divorce has been read.  The book pages have been smoothed out and what was her marriage to an abusive sadistic loser is at an end. In what she calls a long day, the 2 sides were brought to together one last time to hash out the custody arrangements.  The judge decided that whatever the children’s lawyer recommended as far as custody and visitation were concerned she would go along with.  Now the 2 oldest children met with their lawyer and said who they wanted to have custody of them and why.  The little guy however was left in the 7 days with Mom and then 7 days with dad scenario. 

It came as no surprise that the oldest boy whose name is Shaylin decided that he wanted to live with his dad.  Living with his dad has been his wish since the beginning.  His paternal grand mother spoils him rotten and his father has been promising him the moon and the stars if he remains, or no contact at all if he goes.  There were some real concerns for him being in his father’s sole custody.  

Shaylin’s father used to give what he considered lashes when he was younger.  The lashes were so severe that the child was terrified of his father.  The end result was that the father made a promise to Shaylin never to raise his hand to hurt him again, but once in his fathers clutches there will be little anyone can do if he decides to break the promise. Visitation every 2 weeks leaves a lot of time to heal and a lot of time to forget, or be made to forget.

The father also preferred all natural medications to the ones prescribed by the doctor for the A D H D condition the boy has.  There was concern that if left in charge the father would stop giving the child his prescribed medicine in favor of the other kind like he has in the past.  The childs behaviour got so bad the school had to threaten to get involved before he restarted the medication. Even then he withheld the medication on the weekends, claiming he did need them and saying they were expensive at $12 per pill. This practice supposedly came to an end when it was mentioned in one of the many court sessions and the judge ordered that he give the child his medication as prescribed by the doctor.  I could go on and on, but what is the use? 

 We live in a world where the appearance of doing something while actually doing nothing has become the norm.   In my opinion this dead beat dad should not be given sole custody of anyone especially not a child. 

He fought for 6 years to get Courteney to live with him, but she is now 15 and has little monetary time, or value  left,  so no adoption for Courteney and back to her mother she goes. I think Courteney reminds his mistress of my daughter and I can’t imagine her liking the constant  reminder of her home breaking ways.  The mistress has on many occasions recanted to Courteney how she stole her mom’s husband not once , but twice.

What will become of Shaylin when he does not graduate or live up to his father’s expectations and the money for Shaylin  runs out, or becomes less due to age and not going to school?  Will his father ship him back to his mother, or will his father teach him to survive by sponging off of women and society like he does. 

The oldest whose name is Courteney has decided to live with her mom.  I think she is smart for making this decision.  Her mother makes mistakes, but loves her with all her heart,  as she does all of her children.  Her father of record only saw Courteney as a way to hurt her mother and a way to line his pockets with tax monies, family allowance monies and of course more child support.

.  He would take the boys to the movies and make sure Courteney was some where else.  He refused to buy Courteney’s clothing , bus tickets and would constantly remind her that she was not really his kid and she should be grateful for anything he did for her.  He promised to adopt Courteney, but like everything he promised Courteney, they were just carrots, so that he could get her to stay and he could collect money for her up keep while spending little or nothing on her.   He has broken her little heart so many times that I have lost count, but still she looks to him pretending that he loves and cares for her.

I know he does very little , if anything for her financially, because it was me who paid to get her hair done when he told her he didn’t have any money. 

It was me who paid for her school tuition when he said he could not.

I know he did very little because it was me who helped to pay for her school outings. 

No money for Courteney, but money for movies, trips to New York  and Ontario.  The judge said these trips were fine and after all it was not like he was taking a vacation in Europe.

I know he did very little if anything for Courteney, because he was overheard to say to Courteney when she was in my house using my phone, that he should not have to pay for her because she was not his. 

Although he fought tooth and nail to be the father of record, we know that it was a monetary decision and nothing more. 

The little guy will go back and forth and is too young to comprehend any of this.  You would think that he would love and take care of his youngest son Terryell, but alas this was not to be the case. 

I had to buy clothing , lunch box and things he needed for his 1st day of  school, because daddy refused get him his uniform, or anything else. The father knew that he had to wear a uniform. The father simply will do anything to hurt my daughter, or cause her hardship and if the only way he can do it is to hurt his children, I believe in my heart that is exactly the path he is willing to walk. 

Pimp daddy showed up proud as a peacock with his mother and told the court that he was on welfare with a zero income rating, living in a low rental apartment with his mistress and her little boy and asked for over $40,000 in compensations to be paid to him.  The judge said no. 

 Now I find it funny that because Mr. man was late on his child support and my daughter as a result could not pay the day care that was in his name that it was decided by the judge that she has to pay the arrears, because he is on welfare. My daughter has to pay this dead beat dad almost $200 per month in child support until the lazy bum gets off his butt and gets a job.  My daughter works 2 jobs since he stopped paying child support and now has to give the little extra money she makes to her now non husband and court appointed pimp and his mistress.  How is that for justice?

All of this proves what they say about Canada especially Quebec to be true. 

 If you want to commit murder come to Canada you will be out of jail in 10 years max. 

If you are a child molester move to Quebec where 1 to 60 years of child abuse will cost you a couple of months in jail and a fine. 

Abuse youre wife and kids and get custody and child support.  

You will always be able to use the customs from your native heritage as an excuse to kick your wifes butt and abuse your children. 

The only good things to come out of this is that my granddaughter, who he did not father is back with her mother where she belongs and that my daughter is finally away from that abuser legally and can now start to rebuild her life and hopefully find some peace and happiness along the way.  This man tried to destroy her in all ways.  He physically beat her in public in front of witnesses and got away with it. He humiliated her in court and the court did nothing. That is not true , they did do something. They gave him a child to raise and gave him the money from my daughter’s pay to do it.  Have a great day I am done with this subject, unless of course there is something new to share.

This post is more of a question than a post: has anyone out there read Trent Butler’s Judges commentary in the Word Biblical Commentary series (published 2006)?  I can’t find any reviews out there and I’m really curious about the strengths and weaknesses of this fairly recent volume.

My main question is whether anyone knows Butler’s approach to the composition and editing of the Deuteronomistic History (i.e., is he a Nothian, does he hold to a Double-Redaction, etc.) and how much time he spends in the commentary section on some of these diachronic questions.

I’m also interested to hear what anyone out there thinks of his translation and philological notes.

Please leave any comments below.  I’d appreciate it very much!

__________
Andrew

The Mirror, Vol. 13, No. 643

“Phnom Penh: An official of the Khmer Rouge Tribunal stated on 18 December 2009 that the investigating judges of the Khmer Rouge Tribunal decided to charge the former Head of State of Democratic Kampuchea, Khieu Samphan, with an additional crime, genocide, besides two previous charges: crimes against humanity and serious violations of the Geneva Conventions of 1949 [“The Geneva Conventions consist of four treaties and three additional protocols that set the standards in international law for humanitarian treatment of the victims of war”].

“The additional charge was made a day after the Khmer Rouge Tribunal sent Khieu Samphan to a hospital for a medical checkup and after his two comrades Ieng Sary and Nuon Chea were accused with the same charge on 17 December 2008.

“The head of Public Affairs Office of the tribunal, Mr. Reach Sambath, told Koh Santephea via phone on 18 December 2009 that the investigating judges decided to charge Khieu Samphan in addition with genocide.

“Regarding the judgment to sentence [former Tuol Sleng prison chief] Duch to serve time in prison, no official date has been specified. But according to Mr. Reach Sambath, the tribunal will announce the judgment on Duch in early 2010, the date has not yet been set.

“Mr. Reach Sambath added that the investigating judges plan to finish the investigations for the Case 002 in the second week of January 2010. However, the tribunal has not yet specified the date for the hearing on this case. The Case 002 relates to four accused, who are in detention: Nuon Chea, Khieu Samphan, Ieng Sary, and Ieng Thirith. All are old and have diferent illnesses.

“The hearings of Case 002 are planed to start in early 2010.

“In the meantime, the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), the Khmer Rouge Tribunal, announced on 18 December 2009 that a proposal for funds for the tribunal, to support the process in 2010 and in 2011, was submitted to the United Nations Assistance to the Khmer Rouge Trials (UNKRT) and to partner countries of the Group of Interested States of the tribunal, during a meeting in New York this week. The presentation of the proposal was led by the acting head and the deputy acting head of the Administration of the tribunal, Mr. Tony Kranh and Mr. Knut Rosandhaug.

“The announcement went on to say that according to an estimation of the funds needed for this court for the process of hearings in the upcoming two years, the ECCC is requesting approval of the requested funds of US$46 million for 2010 and US$47.3 for 2011, where the international side of the ECCC needs US$34.5 million for 2010 and US$35.6 million for 2011, including reserve funds, while the Cambodian side needs US$11.5 million for 2010 and US$11.8 million for 2011, including reserve funds.

“The annual expenses might increase, because the ECCC has to conduct more activities which need full time work, and also because the trial chamber will start to work full time from mid 2010.

“The requested funds cover also expenses for the work of defense lawyers relating to other cases. The actual 2010 to 2011 funds of the ECCC will be announced publicly after they will have been approved by the partner countries of the ECCC.” Koh Santepheap, Vol.42, #6835, 19-20.12.2009

Newspapers Appearing on the Newsstand:
Saturday, 19 December 2009

Deum Ampil, Vol.3, #366, 19-21.12.2009

• [Thai Deputy Prime Minister] Suthep Thaugsuban: Bangkok Will Restrict Its Position [for diplomatic ties] if Samdech Dekchor Hun Sen Ignores the Conditions [to remove convicted and fugitive Mr. Thaksin’s position as economic advisor, refusing to honor extradition agreement]
• Two Suspects Are Arrested over Acid Attack against TV9 Beauty Contestant Winner
• Cambodia to Send 22 Uighur People Back to China [according to statements from Cambodian officials]
• The Republic of Korea Grants the Ministry of Land Management US$2.5 Million [to create a map of the country and to develop a master plan for infrastructure, data, and geography in Cambodia]

Kampuchea Thmey, Vol.8, #2128, 19.12.2009

• The Khmer Rouge Tribunal Charged [former Khmer Rouge leader] Khieu Samphan with an Additional Crime [genocide]
• Cambodia and Vietnam Vow to Strengthen Solidarity and to Finish Putting Border Markers by the End of 2012

Khmer Machas Srok, Vol.3, #, 19-21.12.2009

• [Opposition party president] Mr. Sam Rainsy: I Do Not Care about the Court That Serves the Ruling Party Only [he was sued by the Svay Rieng Municipal Court for removing temporary Cambodian-Vietnamese border markers]

Koh Santepheap, Vol.42, #6835, 19-20.12.2009

• The Khmer Rouge Tribunal Submitted a Funding Proposal for US$46 Million for 2010 and More Than US$47 Million for 2011
• [Thai ousted and fugitive prime minister] Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra’s Younger Brother and Niece Entered Cambodia [to visit him]
• More Than US$400 Million Is Needed for Clearing All Mines [on 600 km2] within Ten Years [according to the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority]

Rasmei Kampuchea, Vol.17, #5077, 19.12.2009

• Tourism Officials Forecasted that in 2009, the Tourist Arrivals Will Be More Than Two Millions [within 11 months of 2009, there were already 1.9 million arrivals, increasing by 2%]

Have a look at the last editorial – you can access it directly from the main page of the Mirror.
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Here is another clip from Andrew Peterson.  This one is called “So Long Moses”; he masterfully weaves the story of the Old Testament figures with the story of the One to whom they pointed.  We are using this song as the theme song for the current sermon series on the book of Judges titled “The Crownless Community.  Enjoy!

A recent letter from Senator Tim Johnson. He goes totally off track on the subject that Amy Lyngstad for the last 6 years has used her daughter’s identity. Identity theft is a federal law that is not enforced while State prosecutor’s and State Judges cover it up. As to the Judicial Qualifications Commission, they are a joke, not answerable to any one. Johnson states the children deserve a healthy home. She does not work, has been in jail and has a lengthy criminal history. But the State Judges have a vendetta against the father since he supported a law to make judges accountable.

The advice of hiring legal council is to be blunt a joke and attempt to avoid the real issue. The using your children’s identity is a federal crime, a CRIMINAL act! Either the laws apply to everyone or no one has to follow them. They are to be black and white not open to legislation by State Judges either ignoring the law or modifying laws to fit. Federal officials have egg on their face as his complaints over the years about Lyngstad committing identity theft are true.

They just don’t want to admit that State Court Judges are corrupt. The public has a false sense that the Courts are fair and just. HA!

The trial court has a duty to ensure the children are protected at every turn. Williams v. Williams, 425 N.W.2d 390, 393 (S.D. 1988); Jasper v. Jasper, 351 N.W.2d 114, 117 (S.D. 1984). The big lie.

The Judicial Qualifications was contacted months ago and does not do a thing. They are accountable to Justice Gilbertson. In addition since Judge James Anderson is retired there is nothing the JQC can do to him. The worst they can do is retire a sitting Judge and he is already retired.

Reply email to Senator Johnson:

Motions sent to the SD Supreme Court on the illegal acts of other Judges are read then returned in original envelopes. No such thing as an open court in South Dakota. The Judges have egg on their faces that Lyngstad was committing crimes against the children, but the Judges do not have to follow laws.

This court, in Rivers v. Rivers, 322 N.W.2d 864 (S.D. 1982), denied the father overnight visitation because he was living with a woman to whom he was not married. We recognized that, as in child custody cases, the “harmful effect of parental misconduct committed in the presence of a child old enough to see and recognize it is self-evident.” Think the kids wonder why they have bad credit?