Posted by Audiegrl

The guest list for Tuesday’s gala remains a secret, but it should solidify who is considered a VIP in the Obama White House. The dinner honors India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Los Angeles Times/Katherine Skiba—What’s the hottest ticket in the nation’s capital? An engraved invitation to Tuesday’s White House state dinner, the first hosted by President Obama.

He and the first lady will honor India’s prime minister. But in a departure from the traditional venue — the elegant State Dining Room — the Obamas will gather with a few hundred VIPs in a huge, heated tent on the South Lawn.

The guest list for the black-tie gala remains a closely guarded secret. Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, will certainly be there.

Several notables are good bets, such as Oprah Winfrey and Chicago hotel billionaire Penny Pritzker, as are top Obama aides David Axelrod, Valerie Jarrett and Rahm Emanuel.

Dee Dee Myers, who served as President Clinton’s press secretary, said the lobbying by people seeking an invite had probably been relentless.

A dinner menu from the Clinton White House

“The first [state dinner] is always the most dramatic,” Myers said.

“First impressions are important. That’s your A list, that’s your top game right there. By the time you get to the eighth state dinner, it’ll be a lot less important.”

The gargantuan tent affords a bigger crowd than could fit in the State Dining Room, which holds 140.

State dinners generally draw administration officials and members of Congress, the Cabinet and the diplomatic corps. Obama donors and corporate titans, Hollywood glamour, athletic greats and leading artists are bound to be thrown into the mix, possibly joined by some academics and journalists.

And the morning after, hotheads left off the list are bound to let off steam.

Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh

“There’s always a few angry calls,” Myers said, “because people read the guest list” in the morning papers.

But until the dinner takes place, the heat is on, perhaps for no two people more than Desiree Rogers, the White House social secretary, and Cristeta Comerford, the White House’s top chef.

Myers was a guest at a few state dinners put on by Clinton and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, who is another guaranteed attendee Tuesday. As Secretary of State, she hand-delivered the invitation to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in July.

Tented parties for state dinners aren’t entirely new. In President Clinton’s final year in office, he had about 700 guests under a tent for an earlier Indian prime minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee.

More @

Obama State Dinner Challenges, Real & Imagined: A Vegetarian Guest of Honor, A Scarcity of Vegetables…

“Vegetable veracity: The garden is low on crops, Mr. Singh is fond of fish, and about that beehive gift for dinner guests…“

Please visit our friends at Obama Foodorama. They have more pictures and details about the tent, menu, chef, etc…they are a great source for anything food related at the Obama White House.

Join the Live Feed here on 44-D:
November 24, 2009 8:15 PM EST
State Dinner in Honor of His Excellency Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of the Republic of India, and Mrs. Gursharan Kaur

Click image to watch live:

Monday 23^rd November 2009

Annual Bible Reading Plan: Ezek 45:13 – 46:24, 1 Pet 1:13 – 2:10, Psalm 119:33-48, Prov 28:11

Bible Reading: Matthew 5:4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

Most of us have experienced mourning when we have been confronted by the loss of someone close to us. It’s a compound experience of emotions that trouble us as we come to terms with the separation that has been forced upon us. All of us mourn in our own unique ways, and the time we take to process the experience can vary markedly. Yet, as believers we have an ability to celebrate in our mourning for we see with the eyes of faith, those who have known the Lord, being welcomed into His presence to be forever with Him. The early Salvation Army believers coined a phrase regrading the death of a believer that I think was inspired. They spoke of them as being “Promoted to Glory”. It was a common sight on the streets of Victorian England to see “Glory Marches” with victorious flags flying, bands playing, people singing and clapping as they accompanied the coffin to the cemetery, declaring “Death where is your sting, Grave, where is your victory”. There was the sadness of loss, but also the celebration of overcoming victory in Jesus.

The declarations that Jesus makes in Matthew 5 are all keys to the overcoming life. They are like doorways that will lead us to an experience of the fullness of God and the power of the Spirit. This word concerning those who mourn can be overlooked, simply because most of us consider mourning to be a temporary state that we need to escape as soon as possible. There is a subtle pressure to “get over it”, to “move on” when we talk of mourning, but here Jesus seems to imply that it is something we should embrace and not avoid.

I want to suggest to you today that the spiritual experience of mourning is something we should seek, not something we should avoid. In fact I would go as far as to say that spiritual mourning is the strongest motivation to powerful intercession. The deeper the sense of mourning the stronger will be you resolve to see God’s miraculous power in operation. The greater your sorrow the more you will weep over the lost. There is something about those who mourn who attract the Holy Spirit (the Comforter), for He will ever seek to reveal Himself to them giving them hope and the courage to believe for a manifestation of resurrection power.

God’s heart is broken over a lost humanity. He mourns over us, for He sees what we could be, what He has destined us to be. He mourns the loss of family, of friendship, of intimacy. This was the reason Jesus came, to reconcile us to God. Yet millions still reject Him and society spirals ever downwards, caught in a web of Satanic deceit and selfish living. He mourns over pain, He mourns over sickness, He mourns over poverty and cries over injustice.

To feel the sorrow of God is to know Him in deep intimacy. The child does not understand the pain of the parent for they are absorbed in their own world, not yet mature enough to embrace things beyond themselves. Many believers never get beyond this stage of spiritual childhood. Everything is about them, everything is for them. Their constant cries of “bless me”, “help me” expose their immaturity and lack of understanding. But as the child matures, they learn to live outside of themselves and share in the lives of others. So with believers, we are to grow in maturity through the Word of God, so that we can become mature Sons. A mature Son is one who desires to know God in His fullness and understand His heart. To embrace those things which are of supreme importance to Him and to be involved with Him in His works. The mature Son becomes an extension of God Himself, being conformed into His image and likeness. He loves the things that God loves and hates the things God hates. He grieves over those things which the Father grieves over and offers his life as a sacrificial offering so that those lost in the raging oceans of sin might be rescued and restored.

It should be the pursuit of every believer to be touched by the heart of God, to feel what God feels, to know Him, understand His heart, His desires and embrace Him in fullness. For therein lies true perspective. As we come to know Him more intimately we will come to know mourning, for we will begin to feel a little of what He feels. Yet though this is a burden, we realize it has the power to motivate us, for as we mourn, the Holy Spirit draws near to us (the comforter) with Words of Promise and Power, encouraging us to step out in faith and believe. An inner violence explodes in us against evil and the controlling power of the evil one as we seek to set prisoners free. Like Jesus, we begin to feel the inner pressure of the Spirit who desires to “destroy the works of the evil one” 1 John 3:8

And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof. Ezek:9:4

God is looking for mourners, those who will embrace His heart and cry out for revival. The promise is – those who mourn, will be comforted, the Holy Spirit will draw close to those who mourn and will turn their mourning into gladness. “Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness” Psalm 30:11

The end of mourning is gladness – that is why those who mourn are the happiest people on earth.

Christians do not sell heroin or sex; how dare they sell Satan’s lies?

We often take a public stance against abortion, sexual immorality, or Darwinism. However, none of these things, in themselves, take the name of our Master and drag it through mud.

Compare these two possible behaviors for a child of God:

• Snuff cocaine at a strip club while reading Aleister Crowley’s Book of Thoth; or
• Purchase a Bible at a so-called Christian bookstore that also sells every kind of lie under the banner of Christ, from Joel Osteen be-happy-then-go-to-hell books to Roman Catholic rub-here-to-pay-God trinkets.

The money we give to the bookstores is funding all kinds of perverted false gospels that drag men into hellfire, and the spirits of the false prophets behind them. We aren’t even supposed to welcome such people into our home (2 John) or eat with them (1 Corinthians 5:11).

Culture teaches us that Joseph Stalin and Charles Manson are more evil than Benny Hinn, who I suppose hasn’t ever killed or raped anyone; yet scripture teaches that there is a really special place in hell for the false prophet. [I am not condemning Benny Hinn or Joel Osteen in the perfect tense-- God may yet give them new life, according to His sovereign will.]

Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and brag about your relationship to God; if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” (from Romans 2^[1]; emphasis mine)

Our unbelieving friends mock Jesus Christ and post videos on our Facebook walls about foolish “Christians” behaving like drunkards. They laugh about those who claim to preach the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and then sign treaties with Muslims because “we all serve the God of Abraham.” They use this to slander Christianity, and to formulate some dying justification to not consider their need, nor the Savior.

It might be different if a store simply confessed to be a “Religious Bookstore.” In this, they would not overtly associate any particular piece of crap in their store with Christ; despite that a true Christian employee could hardly swipe the credit card for a customer who is buying such unhealthy material. Christians do not sell heroin or sex; how dare they sell Satan’s lies?  This is not love. We ought not even handle these things, except when throwing them into the fire.

I’m not a theologian; it’s just something I’ve been thinking about. Yet something else is lurking in my mind– abortions are funded by our governments in Canada. I’ve been sending my province $54 per month to pay for medical coverage. Is it worth that to me? I am not my own; and God is well able to provide. Perhaps that will be my next post, but right now I’m in some tense place between praying to understand God’s will and debating with Arminian “Christians” who think a Christian should use his own understanding to care for his health and family and heap up retirement funds in glaring conflict with the teachings of our Master (Matthew 6).

Small version of "Christendom goes POP" ©2009 ~archambers at deviantArt.com; Merchandising our Lord; His holy name and title presented in the shape of the Coca-Cola logo, ad nauseum.

Endnote:

^[1]Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

The “NIV” and “New International Version” trademarks are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica. Use of either trademark requires the permission of Biblica.

I read a story the other day of an elder of a Scotch kirk, who at the elders’ meeting had angrily disputed with his minister, until he almost broke his heart. The night after, he had a dream which so impressed him, that his wife said to him in the morning, “Ye look very sad, Jan; what is the matter wi’ ye?” “And well I am,” said he, “for I have dreamed that I had hard words with our minister, and he went home and died, and soon after, I died too; and I dreamed that I went up to heaven, and when I got to the gate, out came the minister, and put out his hands to welcome me, saying, ‘Come along, Jan, there’s nae strife up here, I’m so glad to see ye.’” So the elder went down to the minister’s house to beg his pardon, and found in very truth that he was dead. He was so smitten by the blow, that within two weeks he followed his pastor to the skies; and I should not wonder but what his minister did meet him, and say, “Come along, Jan, there’s nae strife up here.” Brethren, why should there be strife below?

Umar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke says the summit just concluded in Rome has been helpful because it drew the world’s attention to the problem of world hunger, but it has also shown there’s still a long way to go to meet UN goals for improving food security worldwide…. From VOA. Full story

This site may contain information about: food. The blog is also related to: food.

In a country where people are not able to find sugar and other daily usage items and where electricity has become a real luxury , the elite political , military ,corrupt business and bureaucratic classes consider themselves above every law of the land and don’t think of themselves answerable to any system of justice.

Below is the list of NRO beneficiaries which include list of accused criminals who got their selves cleaned with this draconian law introduced by the dictator Musharraf.

———————————————————————————————————————–

Finally, dreaded NRO list is out and official

The News

By Ansar Abbasi
Source : http://www.thenews.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=25672

ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) presented to the government on Thursday a list of 248 politicians and bureaucrats, who were alleged to have plundered hundreds of billions of rupees but were cleared by the NAB under the NRO.

Sources in the Law Ministry while sharing with The News the “complete list” of NAB’s NRO beneficiaries, explained that thousands other cases of NRO beneficiaries did not belong to the NAB but with the provincial governments because they were criminal cases and were not covered by the NAB law.

On top of the list is the name of President Asif Ali Zardari while his several close associates, both political and bureaucratic, including Rehman Malik, Salman Farooqi and his brother Usman Farooqi, Hussain Haqqani and Siraj Shamsuddin are also reflected.

The list, which also reflects a brief introduction of the cases dropped against each name under the NRO, also includes the name of serving and former ministers, federal and provincial secretaries, ex-chief secretaries, existing or former members of the national and provincial assemblies and others.

According to the list, Asif Ali Zardari remained the beneficiary No 1 of the NRO as at least eight of his NAB cases of corruption and misuse of authorities were dropped. These cases included the alleged kickbacks from SGS PSI Company, grant of licence to ARY Gold causing huge loss to government, corruption in purchase of Ursus tractors under the Awami Tractor Scheme, illegal award of contract to Cotecna for pre-shipment, assets beyond means, received kickbacks from Sajjad Ahmad (late) ex-chairman Pakistan Steel Mills, illegal construction of Polo ground at PM House and the money laundering SGS Swiss case.

Others amongst politicians include Nawaz Yousaf Talpur, ex-MNA and former minister, who was co-accused in URSUS tractors case; Ms Nusrat Bhutto, assets case; ex-MNA and the PPP Secretary General Jehangir Badr, assets case and corruption in Sui Southern Gas Company; ex-minister for commerce and presently Defence Minister Ahmad Mukhtar, misuse of authority in issuing sugar export permit to non-entitled persons in 1994; ex-MNA Malik Mushtaq Ahmed Awan, embezzlement in Octroi contracts; ex-MNA Rana Nazir Ahmed, assets case and misuse of authority; ex-MPA Mian M Rashid, assets case and illegal appointments; ex-MPA Tariq Anees, assets beyond means; ex-MPA Mian Tariq Mehmood Dina, assets beyond means; ex-minister of education Sindh Agha Sirajuddin and others, misuse of authority; ex-chief minister and former interior minister Aftab Ahmed Sherpao, misuse of authority, illegal allotment of plots and assets case; ex-provincial minister Ghani-ur-Rehman, assets beyond means; ex-senator Haji Gulsher, misuse of authority and acquisition of land; ex-provincial minister Habibullah Khan Kundi, misuse of authority and acquisition of land; ex-MNA Mir Baz Muhammad Khan Khethran, misappropriation of government funds allocated for people’s works programme; ex-federal minister Anwar Saifullah Khan, misuse of authority in allocation of LPG and illegal appointments; ex-provincial minister Sardar Mansoor Laghari, corruption in Utility Stores Corporation; ex-Mayor Sargodha Ch Abdul Hameed, assets beyond means; ex-chairman Zila Council Lahore Ch Shoukat Ali, ex-MNA Haji Kabir and ex-chairman Zila Council Lahore Ch Zulfikar Ali in Zila Council fraud case.

Amongst government servants and others, who had benefited from NRO and got themselves cleared from NAB cases include ex-additional director general FIA and presently Interior Minister Rehman Malik, embezzlement of funds on account of un-authorized released of imported yellow cab cars, illegal detention of complainant and illegal gratification; ex-secretary information and presently Pakistan’s ambassador in the US Husain Haqqani, co-accused in Ms BB case of TV channels; ex-federal secretary and presently principal secretary to the president Suleman Farooqi, illegal allotment of textile quota, forgery and fraud, obtained illegal benefits in connivance with exporters; ex-chairman Pakistan Steels Mill, caused loss to Pak Steels through illegal disposal of 15.93 MT of end cuts, procurement of Ferro Silicon at higher rates; ex-joint secretary PM Secretariat, former principal secretary to the PM Gilani and presently Executive Director ADB Siraj Shamsuddin, illegal appointment; ex-NBP president and presently Pakistan’s ambassador M B Abbasi, corruption and corrupt practices and loan default; ex-secretary Sindh Rasool Baksh Rahoo, KPT land cases; Mashook Ahmed Usmani, Aurangzeb, Moin ul Arfeen, Akhtar H Askari and Kher M Kalochi of Pakistan Steels Mills (PSM) in the case of purchases on exorbitant prices for PSM; ex-DG textile quota Nayyar Bari and ex-DD Export Promotion Board Anees Alam, illegal allotment of textile quota, forgery/fraud, obtained illegal benefits in connivance with exporters; ex- secretary commerce Brig (R) Aslam Hayat Qureshi, co-accused in ARY Gold case; ex-advisor to Prime Minister A R Siddiqi, co-accused in AAZ and BB cases; ex-principal secretary to the PM Saeed Mehdi, co-accused in polo ground case; ex-principal secretary to the PM Ahmed Sadiq, assets beyond means; ex-chief secretary Punjab Javed Qureshi, fraud in Zila Council Lahore contracts; ex president HBL, willful default, ex DG Intelligence Bureau Brig Imtiaz, assets beyond means; ex-MD Printing Corporation of Pakistan Pir Mukarram, corruption and corrupt practices; ex-DG Textile Quota Akhtar Alam in textile quota case; ex-secretary Petroleum Capt (R) Naseer Ahmad, misuse of authority in awarding contracts for OGDC; ex-Director Textile Quota Syed Arfeen, textile quota case; customs officials Khalid Aziz, Muhammad Nawaz Butt and Mumtaz Ali Changezi in illegal evasion of tax duties case and wrong refund of customs rebate case; Pak Steel employees Syed Iqtedar Rasool, Qaiser Raza, Irfanuddin, Hisamuddin and Qurban Ali Jatoi in import of PIG iron for PSM case; General Manager Port Qasim Authority Abdul Sattar Dero, corruption in PSM; businessman/transporter Pir Deedar Hussain Shah, yellow cab scam; ex-FIA Assistant Director Sajjad Haider, ex-Inspector Muhammad Sharif Qureshi and inspector Moeen Ashraf, all three co-accused of Rehman Malik in embezzlement of funds on account of unauthorized release of imported yellow cab cars case; Assistant Director FIA Agha Ishrat Ali, assets beyond means; ex-Deputy Director FIA Ch Muhammad Sharif, assets beyond means; ex-Additional Commissioner Income Tax Javed Iqbal Mirza, assets beyond means; ex Managing Director Karachi Water and Sewerage Board Aftab Ahmed, misuse of authority in awarding contracts; Project Director Karachi Water and Sewerage Board Fareed Ahmed, misuse of authority in awarding contracts; ex-Regional Commissioner of Income Tax Sindh Abrar Ahmed, assets beyond known resources.

The names of other beneficiaries are Collector Customs Imtaiz Ali Taj; ex-Secretary Javed Burki, DG Port Qasim Authority Irshad Ahmed Sheikh; AD FIA Noor Muhammad Kaka; Maj (R) Rashid Khan; Additional Director FIA Ali Qaswar Bokhari; ex-DG Peshawar Development Authority Syed Zahir Shah; Suptd Customs Check Post Mand Muhammad Younas Butt; Customs officials Sherdad Khan, Sajad Hussain, Muhammad Sarwar and Abdul Hameed Siddiqi; Senior Store Manager Muhammad Iqbal; District Engineer Water Supply Quetta Zamarak Khan; Revenue Officer Pashin Rehman Ali; Assistant Revenue Office Pashin Hafiz Matiullah; Superintendent Revenue Officer Pishin Muhammad Iqbal; Junior Auditor Ibrar Hussain; ex-SP Railways Inamur Rehman Sehri; ex-DC CDA Ch Muhammad Aslam; ex-Secretary CDA Abdul Ghafoor Dogar; ex-AD CDA Mushtaq Ahmed Baloch; ex-Sub Engineer CDA Muhammad Ismail; ex-DC CDA Ahmed Khan; ex-Account Officer Attaullah Khan; ex Patwari Muhammad Farooq; ex-Patwari CDA Muzamil Hussain; Clerk CDA Dawood Khan; ex-Deputy Director Planning CDA Muhammad Iqbal; ex-DC CDA Muhammad Amin; ex-DC CDA Shoukat Ali; Supervisor PTCL Sheikh Liaqat Ali; Assistant Manager GHQ Habibullah Tasnim; Assistant Store Keeper Muhammad Saeed; ex-DG Services CDA Mohiuddin Jameeli; ex DD CDA Muhammad Ashfaq; ex-Asstt Estate Manager CDA Din Muhammad; EGDC official Raheel J Qureshi; GPO Rawalpindi officials Muhammad Farooq, Salim Raza, Muhammad Anwar, Muhammad Akhtar and Arshad Mehmood; ex-Tehsildar Raja Zahid Hussain; Dy DG Military Land and Cantonment Department Abdul Naeem Khan; ex-SSD MEO Rwp Sh Muhammad Amin; Assistant Director Military Land and Cantonment Abdul Hayee Qamar; ex-DG Military Land and Cantonment Qazi Naeem Ahmed; Abdul Ghafoor Khan, Muhammad Ali; ex-Chairman SLI Zaheer; ex-DG NHA Iqbal Ahmad; ex-Chief Engineer CAA Raees M Irshad; CAA officials Ghulam Qadir Lakhan, Shafique Siddiqi, Ahmed Hussain, Iqbal Bangash, Khurshid Anwar, M Akbar, A D Abbasi, Kh Farooq Ahmad and Rafique Shad; OGDC officials Jaffar Mohammad, Khalid Subhani, Capt (R) Nazir Ahmed; Najmul Hassan, M Ishaq, Muzaffar Hussain, Shahid Ahmed, Qamar Hussain Shah, M Israel Khan and Bashir Ahmad Bhatti; PWD officials Mureed Ahmed Baloch, Sadaqat Ali, Khalid Mehmood Nasir, Akram Rao, Rashid Mujib Siddiqi, Aslam Shahid, Zahid ullah Khan and Shabbair Husain; Wapda officials Anwar Hussain, Wapda Line Superintendents Saifullah, Muhammad Arshad, Syed Ehsan Ali Shah, Mirza Saeed Ahmed, Akbar Ali and Allah Wasaya; Nadra officials Hakim Din, Sardari Ali and Nadir Khan; Zakim Khan Masood, Sadiq Ali Khan, Sardar Mansoor Leghari, Din Muhammad, Sikandar Ali Abbasi, Ahmad Yar Gondal, Amin Jan, Sharif Alam Padri, Usman Ghani Khatri, Adnan Khawaja, Nadeem Imtiaz; ex-official Abdul Hakeem, proprietor M/s Techno Int Pir Bux Solangi; private person Abdul Sattar Mandokhel; official S M Attaur Rehman; Sahib Dad Mengal; Hamza Khan Gabol; Riaz ul Hassan Rizvi; Shamsuddin, Ayaz Ahmed, Mukhtiar Ahmad, Muhammad Ali, Abdul Aziz, Rasheed Muhammad Qureshi, Mumtaz Ahmed Bhutto, Maqsood Ahmed, ex-UDC MEO Sialkot Naeem uddin, ex Asst Audit Officer Muhammad Hanif Rahi; ex-cameraman Abu Zar Jaffari; Auditor General officials Muneeruddin Ch, Abdul Razaak Bhatti, Mehr Sajjad Ahmed, Mirza Sajjad Ahmed, Mirza Muhammad Ayub, Muhammad Iqbal Shah, Mukhtar Ahmed, Malik Shahmat Ali, Mian Abdul Rehman, Muhammad Shafique, Syed Javed Hassan, Syed Muzaffar H Shah, Muhammad Sarwar Safi, Muhammad Shabbir and Tariq Mehmood; Food Department officials Ch Nazir Ahmed, Safiullah Awan and Muhammad Usman; Wapda’s Liaqat Ali, Customs Ali Muhammad Sheikh; PTCL’s Munawar Hussain, Muhammad Ashfaq Naz and Muhammad Shahid; Lahore Wapda’s Shahid Iqbal Ghauri, Manzoor H Chohan, Muhammad Javed, Abdul Rehman, Iftikhar Ali and M Qasim; Amjad Hussain Sandhal, Syed Zahir Hussain, Ghulam Mustafa, M Hanif; Sadiq Muhammad, Sameer Amjad, Ch M Siddiqi, Rasheed Ahmed Patwari, Mirza Sher Muhammad; businessmen Seth Nisar Ahmed and Zahid Mehmood; official Murid Ahmed Baloch, Qazi Afzal Hussain, Shaukat Hussain Shah, Maqbool Ahmed, Noor Jamal, Sardar Muhammad Nasim, Mirza Sher Muhammad, Rashid Ahmed Patwari, Muhammad Usman, Arshad Mehmood, Muhammad Akhtar and Waheedur Rehman.

Wenn Politiker ihren Amtseid ableisten wird der Höhepunkt der Heuchelei mit der Schlussformel “So wahr mir Gott helfe” erreicht, die von allen Ministern der aktuellen Regierung aufgesagt wurde. Glaubt Angela Merkel überhaupt an Gott? Nun, sie ist in der “Christlich Demokratischen Union”, deshalb muss sie zumindest nach außen hin die gläubige Christin darstellen. Am meisten hat mich allerdings beim neuen Außenminister Guido Westerwelle überrascht, dass er sich auf Gott beruft. Wtf? Homosexualität und Christentum, das passt genauso ins Bild, wie ein Kondomautomat vor dem Vatikan.

Doch nach kurzer Recherche finde ich heraus, dass sogar Guido Westerwelle mich noch überraschen kann: Er ist Mitglied der evangelischen Kirche, wie aus diesem Interview hervorgeht.
O.K. Guido muss selbst wissen, ob er zu einer Sekte Gemeinschaft gehören möchte, die seine Lebensweise fundamental ablehnt. Seine Entscheidung. Auf der anderen Seite frage ich mich, wie die Kirchengemeinde wohl reagiert, wenn Herr Westerwelle und sein Lebenspartner händchenhaltend zur Messe kommen beim Gottesdienst erscheinen. Wie passt eigentlich Religion, die den Menschen so viele Zwänge auferlegt, zum Verständnis des Liberalismus?

Ich schweife ab, darauf wollte ich eigentlich nicht hinaus. Ihr lieben “Volksvertreter” mein Anliegen ist, Euch zu bitten, auf die göttliche Phrase zukünftig zu verzichten, dadurch wirkt Euer Schwur auch nicht aufrichtiger. Die Menschen haben bereits in der Vergangenheit bitter erfahren müssen, welchen Wert Versprechungen von Politikern haben. Oder glaubt Ihr ernsthaft, dass Ihr durch das öffentliche Bekenntnis zu Gott den ethischen Persilschein in der Tasche habt? Das ganze religiöse Getue ist m.E. die größte Hypokrisie der Gegenwart. Mir kommt dabei unweigerlich der “Christenmensch” G.W. Bush in den Sinn.

Sehr vertrauenserweckend ist es übrigens nicht gerade, wenn unsere Minister zum Regieren göttlichen Beistand benötigen. Aber wenn Ihr Euch schon auf Gott berufen müsst, dann wäre in Anbetracht des Koalitionsvertrages und des “Wachstumsbeschleunigungsgesetztes” eher ein “Gott stehe uns bei” angebracht.
Doch seien wir hoffnungsvoll: Mit der neuen Regierung wird alles besser: “So wahr eine Teekanne im Orbit um den Saturn kreist”

So wahr mir Gott helfe?

Ich schwöre

Foto: Wikipedia Lizenz: Creative Commons 3.0

 Interview with the lone woman minister in Karnataka CM Yeddyurappa’s cabinet, until the Reddy brothers ousted her. I interview her for MiD DAY on Women’s Day, 2008

Being a lone woman in the cabinet, do you find any difficulties?

No. I have never faced any problems being the lone woman. I have been taking my independent decisions. I feel if there were many other women ministers things would have been easier. All women could together put forward the problems of women in the state, and our stand would have been stronger.

How did you enter politics?

I come from a RSS family. My brother was a full time RSS worker and I followed him. I was active in the RSS. In 2004 I became a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC). In 2007, I contested the assembly elections and won. I was inducted into the cabinet as a minister.

Tell us about your life before becoming a politician?

I was born into a farmer’s family in a village called Charvaka in Dakshin Kannada district. Our village had no basic facilities like road or electricity. Till 10^th standard I studied in a school which had no teachers. I did my graduation at St Philomena’s, Puttur and MSW from Roshni Nilaya, Managlore. I then worked as a research assistant in Indian Institute of Social Services and as a counselor at Kasturba Medical College, Manipal.

Do you suggest politics as a career for women?

Certainly. Most educated women shun away from politics. I call upon them not only to vote but to also participate actively in politics. They are well informed and take good decisions for the welfare of the state. The have to come forward to clean the system.

Politics is considered dirty. So you still recommend it?

Yes politics is dirty. There is a lot of leg pulling, jealously and enmity. That’s why I ask educated youngsters to join politics. Not only BJP, but let them join any party. Educated youngsters can cleanse the system.

Can women handle the pressures of being a politician?

I have not faced any problem. May be this is because I am single and hence had no other commitments. I could give my time totally to politics. But when women are married, they may face difficulties. As Indian women they have to take care of their families as well as concentrate on their career. Still, we have many successful married women politicians in India like Sushma Swaraj and Sheila Dixit.

Why have you remained single?

 RSS has a tradition where many do not get married and devote their time totally to service. I had grown up with the same mentality and decided not to get married. Initially there was opposition from my family and they wanted me to marry and settle down. But later they gave in.

Of late, Bangalore has come to be known as an unsafe city with attacks on women. Do you think the city is unsafe?

 Bangalore is safe compared to many other cities in India. Incidents like eve-teasing have been happening in Bangalore before too. It is just that now they are being hyped. To stop such incidents the mentality of the people has to change.  I have traveled alone in the city before entering politics, and I have never faced any problem. The onus is also on women too. They should not dress provocatively or behave invitingly. I don’t say that they should not wear jeans, but they should not be provocative.

Do you wear jeans?

I have worn it in my younger days. I used to wears jeans and tops. Now, I restrict myself to sarees and salwar kameez.

Unlike other woman politicians you have worn a fancy embroidered saree. Who selects your clothes?

(laughs) If I like any saree I buy it. After becoming a minister I haven’t been able to go shopping. My friends select my clothes and buy them for me. I used to wear fancy sarees earlier, by now I have to restrict myself. So now I prefer khadi silk.

What is your take on pub culture?

It is an individual’s choice. If a woman in matured, working and independent she can certainly go to a pub if she wishes. I am not for students going to the pub. Here it is not about culture, but responsibility. No parent would want his student child to miss classes and be in pubs.

Do you drink alcohol?

No. I don’t

There is a buzz that an astrologer had told Devegowda that the next Chief Minister would be a woman, so he put his daughter-in-law Anita Kumaraswamy in the bye-elections. Do you see yourself as the first woman Chief Minister of Karnataka?

(Smiles) No Comments. I pray that our leader Yeddyurappa only continues as the next chief minister for the next ten years. He is doing a very good job. I am still young in politics and have to learn a lot.

Friday 20^th November 2009

Annual Bible Reading Plan: Ezek 40:28 – 41:26, Jas 4: 1-17, Psalm 118:19-29, Prov 28:3-5

Bible Reading:  Mat 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

When Jesus spoke of those who would inherit the fullness of the Kingdom He described them as poor in spirit. The word “poor” – Ptochos (Greek) – means – so poor that one can only obtain a living by begging, it is someone who has nothing at all. It means abject poverty, utter helplessness, and complete destitution. That is how Abraham lived, it was the way of life the Children of Israel embraced and it is the life of faith we are called to live  – people, totally dependent upon God as though they had no other way of surviving.

The people of Israel, during their forty years spent in the desert, learned that if they would make themselves dependent upon Him, God would never fail them and would provide them with everything they needed. They realized the truth that Jesus was to proclaim centuries later, that man does not live by bread alone, but by the Word of God. They embraced the walk of their Father, Abraham, and embarked upon a lifetime of determined, complete reliance upon God understanding that this was the only way of obtain the promises made to them as a nation.

The call to be poor in spirit is at complete odds with the spirit of the world. The world says, “Stand on your own two feet,” “Make something of yourself,” “Plan your work, and work your plan,” “Be self-assertive,” “You are your own boss.  Do your thing!” The existential philosopher Frederick Nietzsche once said, “Assert yourself. Care for nothing except yourself.  The only vice is weakness and the only virtue is strength.  Be strong.  Be a superman.  The world is yours if you work hard enough for it!”

If we try to experience the Kingdom with a worldly mindset, we will fail and find ourselves being resisted by God, for as James declares, “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble”. James 4:6 I’m not saying that you cannot build a form of religious expression with worldly methods, ideas and philosophies, you can. However what I am saying is that the religious expression that is built in this way will not be Church, for Church is the expression of the Kingdom of God. Our strength, our ability, our wisdom, our self-reliance is repugnant to God, Isa 54:6 says “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags;” When we try to experience the Kingdom with a worldly mindset it’s like turning up to a high class wedding unwashed and wearing  dirty, smelly clothes – we aren’t going to be allowed in!

To become poor in spirit is a decision of the will; it is a determination to be completely reliant upon God. It is rooted in a revelation from the King Himself that without Him, nothing of spiritual value can be obtained. “For apart from me, you can do nothing,” (John 15:5). It is an acknowledgment of our utter helplessness in accomplishing anything that would be anything other than wood, hay or stubble – that which is regarded by God as valueless and worthy only of being burnt up. To make the decision to become poor in spirit is to forever discard worldly ways and ideas in favor of true spiritual riches that can be obtained from God alone.

If you would become a Kingdom man or woman, you must become poor in spirit. You must acknowledge your destitute state before God and determine forever to be wholly – not partially – dependent upon Him forever. Then, and only then will you begin to experience the Kingdom. It requires a kind of personal violence to live this way, a denial of self and a firm rejection of the world and its wisdom, but those who have tasted the good things of the Kingdom can live no other way.

I pray that today you would set as your goal – to become poor in spirit.

Feeling Real. I want to call my Mother and tell her about my day. I an almost push PLAY and hear the conversation in my mind. I would be processing the events, the hurts, the hard things about the funeral of a minister, co-worker, the father of my sweet friend, the husband of another.
But I cannot do that. 24 years, I still pick up the phone. I start to punch in the sequence of numbers that would connect me to her voice… just one more time.
My friend asked me if it gets easier. Her eyes locked in on mine the way they do when she wants to know more than I am willing to say for fear of the honesty. My mouth would not form the words of a truthful answer. It gets different. But still there comes moments when I want to share life, and I can’t. My heart catches for a split second as the freshness of loss catches up.
And I weep. If not outwardly, my heart weeps silently. The moment passes and once again I resolve to restart life, to return to the new normal without the one who I loved so dearly.
I think of the pain that has plagued me since my Mother died on November 30, 1985, her 52nd birthday and I pray my children will never experience such depths of grief. Unconsciously, I have tried to protect my children by making, sometimes forcefully, them be independent. I love them beyond measure. They make me laugh, and grin, and shake my head in amazement at times. Like Jared asking for clothes to be given to The Hub instead of birthday presents for himself, so like my Mother. Or Katie being so prissy about her clothes and so creative, just like my Mother.
The reality is difficult to type. Without the death of my Mother, I would not be who I am today. God has used her death to turn me to a new level of faith and dependence on Him. Her death spurred me to grow up and become the woman of God she prayed I’d be. It took the harshness of her death to kick me into following God, of becoming a minister, of having a heart that understands hurts. Before her death, I ministered through my abilities, now I do so through my heart as His vessel to others.
The rawness of emotion is real. I am sorry if it offends. Fall brings memories of my Mother very near to the surface. She loved Fall and Christmas. She loved life. And it was during the fall, that my Dad struggled through his last days on this earth. Somehow in the drama/trauma of finishing seminary, I skipped over grieving for him… not a good thing because an un-grieved loss lingers with you becoming heavy with waiting for release. In the last months, I find myself catching up on grief.
A woman whispers, “I am sorry you have lost your Mother.”
I look at her with confusion,
I have not lost my Mother.
Her presence swells within my chest.
Thoughts of her fill my mind.
And when I look into the mirror, I see her cheekbones,
I see the glint of laughter in her eyes.
I see her staring back at me.
I have not lost my Mother.

I have lost my Mother.
I see a petite figure dashing through the crowd,
I turn to see her, and I have lost my Mother.
I see a red striped blouse tucked tightly into perfectly tailored slacks,
I look for the face, and it is not there. I have lost my Mother.
I hear laughter that starts from the toes,
I turn in hopes of sharing the moment, and I have lost my Mother.
I hear a word of wisdom wisely spoken.
I incline my ear to hear more, and I have lost my Mother.

My child does the spectacular,
I rush to share the pride,
And realize no one is there to understand the pride.
The most comical thing has happened to me,
My fingers dial the number, but my mind hangs the phone up,
She is not there.
A difficulty arises, I am in need.
I turn to find the one to advise,
She is not there.
I have lost my Mother.

I have not lost my Mother.
Her hands stir the cornbread, wrapped around mine.
Her laughter bubbles from within me.
Her voice speaks wisdom to my child.
Her Godly presence works through me.
I have not lost my Mother.
Soon, we will laugh together,
As she laughs in Heaven above now.
Soon.

Debra M. Douglas February 27, 2001

©2004DDouglas
Copyright applied for 4/12/2004

Thursday 19^th November 2009

Annual Bible Reading Plan: Ezek 39:1 – 40:27, Jas 2:18 – 3:18, Psalm 118: 1-18 Prov 28:2

Bible Reading:  Acts 4:36 Joseph, a Levite of Cyprian birth, who was also called Barnabas by the apostles (which translated means Son of Encouragement),

Barnacles are amazing creatures. A type of crustacean, they survive by attaching themselves to any solid surface – whether it be a rock, a wall or a ship. They are almost immovable, the “cement” they secrete to anchor themselves to hard surfaces is so strong a layer three ten thousandths of an inch thick over one square inch will support a weight of 7000 pounds. It is even stronger than epoxy cement!  However they have a dark side! Removing barnacles from the hulls of ships costs an estimated $125 million a year. This is necessary because if barnacles are allowed to accumulate on a ship’s hull, the ship will travel slower in the water, or it will have to burn more fuel to keep up its speed, than it would otherwise. A six month growth of barnacles can result in having to burn 40 to 45 percent more fuel to maintain cruising speed.

Barnacles are stowaway passengers; they contribute nothing and cause unnecessary drag. They are the very opposite of what believers are to be. Each believer is called to be a contributor, a supplier, a giver. The life of God is designed to flow through us, like water through a faucet; we are to be the delivery agents of God’s life and power. It is in supplying that we ourselves are supplied. It is in giving that we receive. It is in building the lives of others that we become built up ourselves.

Joseph was such a man. So remarkable was his lifestyle that the disciples renamed him Barnabas – which means “Son of encouragement”. Encouragers are givers. They move around looking for opportunities to build people up, they make people aware that their work does not go unseen, that what they do and who they are is appreciated. They urge people on to better and higher things. They express faith in people; they believe the best, see the best and draw out the best.

This is who Barnabas was – and were it not for Barnabas we may never have had Paul. For it was Barnabas, who first believed in Paul; It was Barnabas who saw Paul’s potential; It was Barnabas who put his own ministry and reputation on the line for Paul by bringing him before the disciples  – who wanted nothing to do with him because of the past. It did not stop there, however, for when Barnabas was sent to Antioch to oversee the revival there – what did he do? He went looking for Paul; he took Paul to Antioch and gave him a place there among the Prophets and the Teachers. He not only believed in him, he became a major contributor to his life and ministry. He gave what he had and rejoiced to do so. Then because Barnabas had done all this, the Holy Spirit was able to release Paul – and Barnabas did not complain when God raised him up and gave him a higher place. He just enjoyed the hidden reward that belongs to those who have built the lives of others.

God is not looking for barnacles – those who catch a free ride on the shirt tails of others, those who cement themselves to the Church ship to be taken on the Gospel trip. He is looking for Barnabases, those who can be called “sons of encouragement”, who will be contributors, builders, lovers and givers. God is looking for believers who will lay down their own lives and live their lives for others in order that the Kingdom might be built and expanded. This is Church. This is what believers are called to be.

So, don’t be a barnacle; be a Barnabas and experience the joy that comes from being a perpetual giver.

The “honourable” CM of Tamil Nadu, M. Karunanidhi’s take on the LTTE strife in Sri Lanka, as reported by The Hindu. Is he planning to become the chief strategist for the LTTE??….

I find it ridiculous, that politicians in India involve themselves with issues abroad, especially when they have their hands full with issues of our own.

Also worthwhile is to note that the Maoists in India are considered “terrorist” while the LTTE is empathized with. Isn’t that hypocrisy???

Anyone know how to do it?

Seriously. I have watched many different ministries come and go over the years. The one thing that I’ve never understood? How they got started.  This is something that has plagued me about ministry ever since I decided that I wanted to go into it. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’ve been wishy-washy over the years with my walk with God, and only within the last three have I decided that I would maybe like to go into full-time ministry. Here within the last two it’s gotten a bit out of hand. When I was at Bible college the biggest fear (and the biggest one now) is saying, “Ok, I want to plant/start/build a church” and going out with that being a goal and never being able to figure it out. I’m afraid of rejection and failure. Seriously. I am sort of a “sure thing” type. Unfortunately, things with God aren’t always sure things, in fact they rarely are.

Since the decision was made for the last time (this time) I have been given some awesome opportunities in ministry. One of which is the one I am in now with our singles ministry. By no means let this post say that I don’t appreciate that, because I value it more than I can write in this blog. This is simply to say that eventually I would like to grow into the calling that I feel that God has for me. I LOVE studying about God. If I had all day every day, I would study his Word…looking for those things that He wants us to really see. To really get. Unfortunately the things of life get in the way more often than not, and as desperate as I am for God, I feel a bit like the seed cast among thorns. Slowly being choked. Maybe at least being conscious of it will help…

One point I want to make clear is that even when I was not living for God…I still knew. It would keep me up at night. The overwhelming feeling that I was missing out on my calling and using every minimal skill that I had in the wrong areas. I think that this “calling” is why every job I’ve had, all of them, have never satisfied me. I also feel like that’s why I always tend to be the counselor at any job I’m at…the one who takes the extra time for people to confide in and talk to. I DO care about people, and I feel like God made me a good communicator for a reason.

So I have a question for God. Heck, I’ll even throw it to anyone who reads my blog (though you are few and far between). If you are in ministry, or know anyone who is and has started their own. Any idea how they did it?

Part of me thinks that if I can’t get past this fear that is holding me back that I won’t reach the things God has for me…in fact, often I wonder what could have been if I had gotten it right the first time. Maybe by now I’d have something that He could be proud of me for…

God, help me. Help me be who YOU want me to be. Terry is dead. I choose to be your slave. Put me where you want. when you want, how you want. I don’t know how else to say it.

Tuesday 24th November 2009

Annual Bible Reading Plan: Ezek 47:1 – 48:35, 1 Pet 2:11 – 3:7, Psalm 119:49-64, Prov 28:12-13

Bible Reading: Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

In many people’s minds meekness equals weakness. Nothing could be further from the truth. Meekness does not mean being week, passive or complacent. Meekness does not describe the mentality of someone who avoids confrontation with the advances of evil. Meekness does not describe the actions of one who hides and refuses to act.

Meekness equals strength, for the one who is meek has exchanged their earthly weakness for His Divine strength, having become one with Him in every respect. The idea contained in Isaiah 40:31 “But But those who wait (lit – who entwine themselves around the Lord) for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change (lit – exchange) and renew their strength and power” fully describes the meek. Like the ivy plant that entwines itself around the great oak, they have become as one and have taken on the strength of the greater.

One who is meek has given up personal control and has become God controlled. Meekness is the life of total surrender. The one who is meek is the richest of all for in their surrender they have resolved to believe God and fully live the life of faith. They are unmoved by change or circumstance, being fully convinced that the Promises of God’s Word will furnish them with everything they need both spiritual and physical. “seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature,” 2 Peter 1:3-4

The original deception of the enemy in the Garden was to suggest to Adam & Eve that they could live life independently from God, that in becoming masters of their own destinies they would become truly free. Of course we know that Satan’s strategy was to draw them into rebellion and separate them from God so that he might gain control over their minds and bodies through the instrumentality of sin. In responding to his advances humanity was plunged into spiritual, physical and mental suffering and pain. Ever since mankind has struggled to raise itself from the dirt and live a higher, more noble life, to victoriously achieve the goal of true independence and declare  – “see, I am, I can be free, I can be master of my destiny, I can be . . . .  god” – only to find hopes and dreams cruelly crushed by wicked powers whose only desire is to “steal, kill and destroy”.  John 10:10 God invites us to surrender to bring us into freedom, for one can only be truly free who is completely surrendered. Surrender reverses the effects of the fall, it breaks the chains of selfishness and pride that root us to the natural realm and severs the enemy’s hold.

Total surrender brings us into complete harmony with God, it is the tuning of the strings of our life to the Heavenly key. God as the master musician has sounded the keynote in Christ Jesus and invites those who would join Him in the Symphony of the Kingdom to tune their instruments and prepare to play what He has written. To be “in tune” is the priority for any member of the orchestra. Were the members of the orchestra not to “surrender” to the lead musician and adjust the tuning of their instruments to his, there could be no harmony. Instead of a glorious symphony there would be an inglorious noise. This initial “surrender” lays a foundation for what is to come, for it is a continuing meekness amongst the orchestra members that results in the release of glorious music. Meekness enables them, with others to achieve musical heights that could never be attained alone. The greatest musicians in the world understand the value of meekness, for they know that meekness does not  render them weak, it makes them stronger. It enables them to play what could never be performed alone, meekness releases them into fullness. They embrace meekness in order to fulfill their musical destinies.

If that is true in the natural, how much more is it true in the Spiritual. There is a sound that is rising. It is rising from meek people who have surrendered their abilities, their strength, their independence to achieve something greater, something purer, something more glorious. They have learned that the pathway of surrender is the pathway to destiny. This is the Church. A Church that has discarded the spots and wrinkles of independence, selfishness and pride and who has totally surrendered to the will of the Father.  This is the Church that will be anointed with power and usher in the return of the King.

When you make meekness your way of life, when you fully surrender, then you will achieve the great things God has planned for you and experience true prosperity.

It seems that Pakistan Feudal Party (also known as PPP) government in full swing

to confront independent media using all their internal resources and their external

links to put curbs on genuine journalism and news analysis.

It reminds us of Musharraf’s emergency days when similar was done to stop the voices against their mistakes and crimes.

Recent victim of this PPP government’s feudal martial law is “Meray Mutabiq” of Dr. Shahid Masood which has been banned by the Dubai government to go on air from Dubai.

Recently government, agencies, government sponsored media and journalists have started a massive campaign against independent media and the elements and methods used were pretty much same as of Musharraf times even the allegations are similar like being paid by opposition or serving the foreign agenda (We all know our governments have been serving the foreign agenda not the independent media).

We condemn this action of Pakistan and UAE governments and show our full solidarity with independent media.

We expect the genuine journalists and analysts to continue their role which they have played against dictatorship, against emergency,against innocent killings and illegal abductions, against imperialist takeover of our country ,against NRO and corruption and the role to restore the independent judiciary of Pakistan.

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Geo’s program ‘Meray Mutabiq’ banned from Dubai

Source: http://www.thenews.com.pk/updates.asp?id=92070

KARACHI: A ban has been imposed on airing of Geo News’ program ‘Meray Mutabiq’ from Dubai.

According to sources, the high government officials of Pakistan exerting pressure on the Dubai government had the airing of the program stopped.

Geo’s administration has said that this step of the government is tantamount to targeting the freedom of expression.

It may be mentioned here that the senior analyst Dr. Shahid Masood was the anchor of ‘Meray Mutabiq’.