Bishop Iker: 10 Reasons Why Now Is the Time to Realign

Bishop Iker has written to his Diocese of Ft. Worth with “10 Reasons Why Now Is the Time to Realign.”

Some time back, I made a number of “No Safe Place” posts on why staying in the Episcopal Church is a very doubtful option for orthodox Anglicans. I think Bishop Iker’s letter merits reflection from all orthodox who still remain in TEC, particularly these points:

4. If we do not act now, we will lose our momentum and lose our God-given opportunity. Many laity and clergy who have been standing with the Diocese, as a beacon of hope, will give up and leave for other Anglican bodies. We will never be stronger than we are right now! We will never have another chance to act with such a strong majority. The Episcopal Church many of us were born into or became members of many years ago no longer exists! It has been replaced by a liberal, revisionist sect that does not deserve our allegiance or support any longer.

5. TEC is not turning back and matters will only get worse. General Convention is out of control and beyond reform. The Deputies seem to think that they can do whatever they want as long as they can muster a majority vote, even if what they propose is contrary to Holy Scripture. We will not accept majority votes of the General Convention that compromise the Christian ?faith. The more they change the teachings of the church, the less tolerant they are of dioceses such as ours. By the time I retire (in the next 7 to 13 years), this diocese will be unable to elect an orthodox bishop to succeed me.

6. TEC is coming after us, and they are the ones that brought on this crisis. In October 2006 the chancellor to the PB wrote a letter to our diocese demanding that we change our Constitution to remove the clause that says that we will not accept General Convention dictates that are contrary to the Bible and the apostolic teaching of the church. In addition, we were instructed to remove provisions stating that all church property in this diocese is held in trust for the use of our congregations and to state instead that our property ultimately belongs to TEC. If we don’t make such changes, the letter asserted that the Presiding Bishop would have to determine what actions she must take “in order to bring your diocese into compliance.”

7. At this time there is nothing in the Constitution or Canons of TEC that prevents a Diocese from leaving. Oh, I know that General Convention officials claim that dioceses cannot leave TEC, but you will not find that anywhere in the Constitution and Canons as they presently stand. So we have this window of opportunity to do what we need to do, for you can be sure that the next General Convention will close off this option by adopting amendments that will make it even more difficult to separate in the future.

In short, the Episcopal Church is very soon coming to the point, if it’s not already there, where it will not allow you to be an orthodox Anglican in peace.

Let me again say that I respect those orthodox who, out of conviction (and without undercutting those who leave TEC), feel they should stay in the Episcopal Church and contend for the faith within it. But I do think they are mistaken. There is a time for separation, and it is now.

More on Pelosi’s Failure (Sabotage?)

A number of sources indicate that while she was playing brazen partisan politics with the Treasury Asset Relief Plan, Speaker Nancy Pelosi gave many, maybe all, of her Democrats a free pass to vote how they please. While she was bashing Republicans, she did little to nothing to round up the necessary Democrat votes. Heck, that’s her job!

It truly makes me wonder if she sabotaged the bill in part to bash Republicans with it. Redstate thinks that is indeed to case. I don’t know. But to completely fail to do her job, then to bash Republicans for it is beyond inexcusable.

The Gateway Pundit is on this, particularly here.


MORE: Even one liberal agrees that it’s time for Pelosi to go.

The “Mainstream” News Media and Obama: “The Fix is in, and it’s working.”

The Instapundit has received a revealing e-mail from a major newsroom:

Off the record, every suspicion you have about MSM [i.e. the Mainstream News Media] being in the tank for O[bama] is true. We have a team of 4 people going thru dumpsters in Alaska and 4 in arizona. Not a single one looking into Acorn, Ayers or Freddiemae. Editor refuses to publish anything that would jeopardize election for O, and betting you dollars to donuts same is true at NYT, others. People cheer when CNN or NBC run another Palin-mocking but raising any reasonable inquiry into obama is derided or flat out ignored. The fix is in, and its working.

Pelosi Blows It. (UPDATED)

Nancy Pelosi should resign as Speaker of the House.

Today she utterly failed to lead in by far the most important matter of this Congress. It’s bad enough that she failed to get over 90 of her fellow Democrats to vote for the compromise Treasury plan. But then she just had to give that obnoxious partisan floor speech to ensure that any leaning Republican would say, “To Hell with it” and vote against the bill. Her behavior was beyond bizarre.

And then she dares to come out after her failure and babble about “bipartisanship.” What a two-faced [self-censored]!

There are plenty of fools on both sides of the aisle. But this woman has no shame. Her conduct makes me wonder if she tried to sabotage the bill. I fear the world economy just got sabotaged.

It will be an interesting night in the markets.

UPDATE: It’s come out that some of her most partisan remarks were ad lib departures from her prepared speech. She just couldn’t restrain herself!

What a fool.

Obama’s Missouri Legal Thugs Attack Free Speech

The truth doesn’t reflect well on Barack Obama. So, as I’ve mentioned, one of the ways he’s trying to suppress it is through attacks on free speech.

Well, he’s at it again, this time through legal goons in Missouri.

Kudos to the Governor of Missouri for calling out Obama on this.

Mark Steyn sums matters up well:

. . . this pattern is well established: The Obama campaign's response to uncongenial allegations is not to rebut them but to use its muscle to squash the authors. This is especially true when it comes to attempts to lift the curtain however briefly on the Senator's mysterious past.

More may be found here and here. This has really set the blogdom on fire. Funny, the “Mainstream” News Media isn’t saying much about it.

There's been enough backlash that at least one of the legal goons is now backpedalling:

As a citizen, I believe that elections should be about issues. I also have enormous respect for our First Amendment and freedom of speech. My sole purpose in participating in this initiative is about getting truthful information to the voters.

Yeah, right.

This has never been or never will be about prosecuting people.

Maybe. But it sure as Hell was about chilling the free speech of those who want to tell the truth about Obama.

I’ve noticed in my experience that the Leftist version of free speech is free speech for them, NOT for those less enlightened. This Leftist quality is all too evident in Barack Obama and his thugs.

Something else I’ve noticed. There is a cabal of Democrat lawyers in Missouri that has no problem using the courts to rig elections. For example, it seems every big Election Day, some Democrat judge uses long lines as an excuse to keep the polls open longer . . . only in Democrat areas of the state, of course. Here’s one sordid instance from 2000.

I fully expect Missouri Democrats to use one of their corrupt judges to pull this again on November 4th. You heard it here first.

ACORN’s (and Obama’s) Role in Creating the Current Mess

Here is an interesting article on the role ACORN, with Obama’s support, had in pushing banks to make the bad loans that help lead to the current financial mess.

A Visit to Smokey Matt’s

I’ve mentioned how much I love Smokey Matt’s in Dallas. A friend has now gotten to experience the joy of worshipping there and tells about it here.

Obama Lies Update . . . from the New York Times?!?

You know the untruths in Obama’s ads are over the top when even the New York Times takes them to task.

McCain Blinks on Debate.

CNBC reported just now that McCain has decided to debate tonight.

I’m disappointed.

Not One Effing Dime for ACORN! (UPDATED)

I support the Paulson Plan to deal with difficult financial instruments that are clogging up the financial markets. And some of the alterations proposed by Democrats are reasonable. (I bet you thought I’d never say something like that.) But two things have me livid.

One is the performance by Senate Democrat Leader Harry Reid just now. He played brazen partisan politics with this at the worse time, blaming John McCain for the difficulties in getting something passed. What I said to the TV is not printable on this blog.

Meanwhile (#2), the Democrats are trying to use this to funnel more money to ACORN. Yes, the same radical corrupt “community organizing” group favored by Obama repeatedly caught engaging in vote fraud. And that may be the real deal killer.

Republicans and reasonable Democrats should demand support for ACORN and similar groups is stripped from this measure now!


UPDATE: Good news. One report says the ACORN slush fund has been removed. Let’s hope so.

McCain is Doing the Right Thing on Campaign Suspension (And Obama Isn’t).

I heartily agree with John McCain’s decision to suspend his campaign and seek to delay Friday’s debate in order to focus on getting a good financial asset relief plan passed. He is still a Senator, and the best way he can demonstrate leadership is to focus on his Senate duties while by far the most important matter of this Congress is up in the air.

Obama is also a Senator, but he opposes delaying the debate and wants to go on with his perpetual campaign. I think that speaks volumes as to who is a man of substance and who is not.

Frankly, if the debate goes on Friday, I hope McCain refuses to show up.

By the way, McCain tried to reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac two years ago. Obama? Well, he did take a lot of donations from those two agencies.

Is the Duncan “Deposition” Backfiring?

Ruth Gledhill seems to think the “deposition” of Bishop Duncan is backfiring. In wry language, she opines that PB Schori’s act has created a martyr and has given that much more impetus to a new North American province for the orthodox.

It has crossed my mind recently that Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori is secretly one of the "orthodox". That can surely be the only reason that she has created a martyr who is now being venerated by evangelicals worldwide, and who is poised to become the sanctified leader of an orthodox movement that is demanding, and might well get, its own province.

It is amazing how evil does backfire.

Gledhill’s Times story on support for +Duncan and pressure to create a new province may be found here.

+Rowan remains silent on all this though he is certainly busy pushing the Millennium Development Goals, of course.

Frankly, I think Our Lady could appear to His Grace and demand a new orthodox North American province, and he would neither create nor recognize one.

He is too much in another lady’s pocket.

Vote Fraud is No Joke

The Democrat Governor of Montana has been caught joking that he engaged in vote fraud to get Jon Tester elected to the U. S. Senate in 2006. The question is how much truth is there to his “joke.” Discussion may be found here.

To someone who has seen Democrats engage in vote fraud election after election, who questions the legitimacy of at least four Democrat U. S. Senators – Tester, Tim Johnson, Mary Landrieu, and Frank Lautenburg – and who sees one of Obama’s favorite “community organizing” groups, ACORN, already engaged in vote fraud, vote fraud is no joke. It is a crime against democracy.

The Justice Department should investigate the 2006 Montana Senate election . . . now. And if the governor’s joke proves to be more than a joke, people should go to prison – perhaps including him.


MORE: If any of my kind readers think I’m being unfair in focusing on Democrat vote fraud, I pray them to consider this gem from the Democratic Party Platform:

We oppose laws that require identification in order to vote or register to vote.

The Democrat Party – the party of vote fraud.

++Rowan Silent on +Duncan “Deposition” (UPDATED)

Primates, bishops, and other Anglicans around the world have disassociated themselves from the lawless “deposition” of Bishop Duncan by Presiding Heretic Schori.

But the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams so far is . . . silent.

And that silence is deafening.

UPDATE: Instead, His Grace joins with Schori to bow down to the UN and its Millennium Development Goals.

One must have one’s priorities.

Obama Lies Update

Barack Obama is running the most dishonest, sleazy presidential campaign in my memory at least. I’ve never been a fan of his, but even I am surprised by the depths to which he is plunging.

In a way, his campaign diving into the gutter is good news. For it shows they are scared of defeat . . . perhaps very scared. Take this ad, for example. It shows that Obama’s past support of post-abortion infanticide has indeed come back to bite him. And since the truth doesn’t reflect well on Obama, he lies. In addition, his saying McCain is running on a platform of banning abortion even in cases of rape and incest is a half-truth at best. The Republican Party platform might be interpreted that way (I’m not sure as I don’t know the exact language this year.), but that is certainly not McCain’s stand. And as if that’s not enough untruth, the ad Obama whines about is not even a McCain ad!

Meanwhile, Rush Limbaugh has taken Obama to task for that race-baiting Spanish language ad. I know not all my readers are fans of him, and I’m not a great fan either. But just read his column. It reveals well what a sleazy lie that ad is. It’s clear the ad intentionally rips statements completely out of context to race-bait for one thing.

And look what else the uniting New Age Messiah is doing – using that old Democrat tactic of fearmongering on Social Security. And like past Democrat attempts – surprise, surprise – it’s a big lie.

But as disgusting as Obama’s lies are, take heart. This is the sort of thing losers do.

Key Statements Opposing “Deposition” of +Duncan

Three statements stand out in support of Bishop Duncan in the wake of Schori’s phony “deposition” of him.

First, a statement from the Primate of the Southern Cone, Gregory Venables:

"As was resolved by resolution made at the Provincial Synod in Valparaiso last November 2007, we are happy to welcome Bishop Duncan into the Province of the Southern Cone as a member of our House of Bishops, effective immediately. Neither the Presiding Bishop nor the House of Bishops of the Episcopal Church has any further jurisdiction over his ministry. We pray for all Anglicans in Pittsburgh as they consider their own relationship with The Episcopal Church in the coming weeks."

In a manner that is to the point and understated, yet at the same time in-your-face, his statement addresses well Schori’s attempts to bully even those who have already left the Episcopal Church. And he strongly implies that he and Bishop Duncan will go on about their business whether she likes it or not. Only a wonderful Englishman like ++Venables can pull that off so well and in so few words. It brings a smile to my face.

Bishop Iker is also one who can say what needs to be said in few words. And he does so again :

“In spite of the sham deposition of Bishop Robert Duncan by the TEC House of Bishops, he remains the formidable leader of traditional Episcopalians and loyal Anglicans in North America. Both in his role as Moderator of the Anglican Communion Network and as the lead Bishop in the Common Cause Partnership, Bishop Duncan continues to have the respect of a majority of the Primates and bishops of the entire Anglican Communion, including the Archbishop of Canterbury. In an effort to silence him, this action has only given him greater credibility as the leader of the realignment movement.”

Finally, there is the gracious statement of ++Anis, which needs no further comment from me.

My Dear Bishop Duncan,

Greetings in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ!

It is with great sadness that I have learnt of your deposition by the House of Bishops of The Episcopal Church in the U.S.

It is with great joy that I welcome you alongside the ranks of St. Athanasius who, as Bishop of Alexandria, was deposed and exiled from his see. St. Athanasius did not waver and stood firm. History proved that his stance for orthodoxy was not in vain. I trust it will do the same for you! So please count it as honor my brother.

I don’t know what to call it, a tragedy or comedy, for the faithful to be disciplined by those who tear the fabric of our Anglican Communion.

Please be assured of my support and that the Diocese of Egypt with North Africa and the Horn of Africa will continue recognize you as a faithful bishop. You are faithful to Jesus Christ, to the Church catholic, to the Anglican Communion, to the Windsor Process, and to your diocese. I find no fault in this. I trust that you will continue the ministry to which God has called you.

The true test of orthodoxy is not in the leader you may follow (1 Cor. 1:12), it is in the faith once delivered (Jude 1:3), the faith founded in Jesus Christ, the faith you were baptized into, catechized through and the faith you live out. Thank you for your faithful witness to Jesus Christ in spite of the opposition.

Please be assured of my prayers and my love to you and Nara, and to the Standing Committee of the Diocese of Pittsburgh.

May the Lord bless you!

Yours in Christ,

+Mouneer Egypt

Amen!

(RETRACTED) +Lillibridge Supports “Deposition” of +Duncan?

(Please read my retraction below.)

(RETRACTED: I don’t want to take away from those 39 bishops who had the courage to resist Schori’s lawless “deposition” of Bishop Duncan. But the action of one bishop shocks me. The Bishop of West Texas, Gary Lillibridge, a supposedly orthodox “Windsor bishop,” has publicly supported this despicable action:

“As difficult as this decision is for me and many others in our Church, it is important to realize that the decision in the House today was not based on the theological convictions of Bishop Duncan, but rather on the evidence presented regarding statements and actions concerning moves to take the Diocese of Pittsburgh out of the Episcopal Church.”

I’ve never had a particularly high opinion of this bishop’s courage. But I am shocked that he is supporting this outrage.)

UPDATE: Since I’ve posted, it’s come out that +Lillibridge voted against the “deposition.” I took that possibility into account when I made my post. But it makes his statement, which certainly seems to support the action, a puzzler. Hence, I’ve added a question mark to the title.

The Diocese of West Texas website says he will post a report on the HOB meeting. If it’s appropriate for me to say more then, I will do so.

RETRACTION: O. K. It’s mea culpa time. Bishops Lillibridge and Reed have posted a letter to the Diocese of West Texas explaining what happened. And I’m satisfied with their explanation.

This still leaves the aforementioned supportive statement a mystery. And this statement is still linked on the diocese’s website (under “House of Bishops”).

But nevertheless the votes and letter tell me it’s time for a hearty mea culpa. So I apologize to Bishop Lillibridge and to my readers. The Bishop did stand up against this “deposition” and deserves credit not attack for that. Mea culpa.

Barack Obama, Race-baiter

I’m a bit pressed for time, but I want to bring your attention to blatant race-baiting by Barack Obama. He is running a Spanish language ad that is a dirty lie. So much so that even a “Mainstream” news media reporter is calling Obama out on it.

Isn’t it amazing how the possibility of losing is removing the phony veneer of Obama as the uplifting uniter. It’s becoming more and more obvious he’s something else entirely.

The October Surprise on Palin Revealed!

The internet is hot with speculation Democrats have an October Surprise ready to hatch concerning Sarah Palin. That would not surprise me. Remember the October Surprise Dan Rather tried to pull on Bush? (Democrats, “Mainstream” News Media – What’s the difference?) I fully expect the Obamatrons (Obamatrons, “Mainstream” News Media – What’s the difference?) to pull something in late October.

In fact, I’ve done some digging and found out what it will be. Now The Truth Can Be Told about Sarah Palin.

Welcome to Your Show Trial!

Christopher Johnson has a good summary of what Presiding Heretic Schori is trying to pull in her attempt to depose Bishop Duncan:

Welcome to your show trial. To save time, I have already decided that you are guilty. But since I have to go through the motions, you will be "tried" at a time of my choosing even though I am not "legally" entitled to do so. But this is a mere formality since any legal questions you might raise have already been resolved in my favor as have any appeals you might foolishly attempt to make.

I would hope all fair-minded Anglicans agree on what a travesty this is. What is a more difficult issue, also discussed at the above link, is how should a bishop act on this. Should he vote “No”? Or should he refuse to participate in such a blatant violation of the Canons and of justice by refusing to vote?

That is not an easy ethical question. I, for one, am not at all sure what I would do.

“At his next stop, Obama was heckled by bitter small-town elderly religious women with guns.”

Obama continues his holy quest to win the presidency by alienating just about everyone. Now it’s gun owners. It’s getting around that earlier this month, he said:

"The bottom line is this. If you’ve got a rifle, you’ve got a shotgun, you’ve got a gun in your house, I’m not taking it away. Alright? So they can keep on talking about it but this is just not true. And by the way, here’s another thing you’ve got to understand. Even if I wanted to take it away, I couldn’t get it done. I don’t have the votes in Congress."

That’s hardly a rousing endorsement of the 2nd Amendment. And it’s not going over well.

Obama’s Favorite ACORN Engages in Vote Fraud . . . Again

ACORN has been caught engaging in vote fraud again.

Of course, the “Mainstream” News Media isn’t paying much attention to this. Can you imagine them exercising such restraint if a conservative organization were involved in vote fraud?

Not-so-by-the-way, ACORN is a favorite “community organizing” group of Obama’s. And, *of course*, the Mainstream News Media isn’t paying much attention to that either.

The Presiding Heretic Plans a Purge

No, I’m not ignoring Presiding Heretic Schori’s plans to run roughshod over the Canons and basic fair play and depose Bishop Duncan at the upcoming TEC House of Bishops meeting. But others are following this much better than I can. Stand Firm is all over this. And the Anglican Curmudgeon has the best summary of the situation that I’ve seen so far.

I’ll leave what I think of this to the imagination for now. I like to keep my language here as clean as possible.

Has Obama Just Blown the Senior Vote?

When I saw this Obama ad . . .


. . . I thought that will annoy a lot of seniors. I thought a lot of them would say, “Well, I’m a little behind the times and not a computer whiz either.” and take the ad as a cut down of them, too.

Well, it turns out that it’s worse than that. There’s a reason John McCain is not a whiz with a keyboard. His POW injuries can make typing painful for him.

Of course, the “Mainstream” News Media is giving Obama a pass on this. But word is still getting out. It’s certainly all over the internet. And I think even those old, behind the times, supposedly computer-illiterate seniors will find out and be . . . ticked.

So I got some news for Obama:

Some seniors aren’t computer whizzes. But they do know how to do one thing –

Vote.

Get used to remaining a Senator, Obama.

Post-Ike

Yesterday morning, I went to Bob Hall Pier in Corpus and I was shocked at the damage there. It was much worse than from Rita. All but two picnic tables were gone and the parking lot was torn up.

After looking around a while, I got my board and gingerly worked my way through the rubble to catch some of the dying waves from Ike. But I did so half-heartedly knowing the much worse damage inflicted on people to the North.

(By the way, other than mostly minor damage from high tides and surf (I received no damage.), all we got from Ike was a warm breeze. I appreciate those expressing concern for me.)

Now, this Sunday morning, the Houston-Galveston-Beaumont area is being hit by a solid line of heavy thunderstorms. As if they needed that.

Do keep praying for that area. Their difficulties are far from over.

-----

I took some photos of the otherworldly sunset before Ike’s landfall and of Bob Hall Pier the next morning. You may find them here.

Ike: Pray for Houston

It looks like I was right in my post Tuesday that Ike would move further north than then forecasted. But I don’t take much joy from that. For what I didn’t post is that I felt Houston was in more danger than Corpus Christi. And it looks like I was too right on that.

Fortunately, the winds of Ike have not increased as much as once expected. But this is still an unusually large hurricane with what may be a huge storm surge. And it’s predicted to hit Houston head on.

Please pray for the Houston area.

Lynch Mob Meeting Proposed on Boundary Crossing

From here:

The primate of the Canadian Church, the Most Rev Fred Hiltz, has asked the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, to host a face-to-face meeting with the Primate of the Anglican Province of the Southern Cone, the Most Rev Gregory Venables, Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori and Episcopal Anglican Church of Brazil Archbishop, the Most Rev Mauricio de Andrade.

Hmm, that sounds like a nice 4-on-1 meeting. “Me and my friends want to meet you and *talk* behind the dumpsters after school. Please do come.”

Archbishop Venables is slightly hesitant to attend. Does anyone blame him?

Why They Hate Sarah Palin II: “Her greatest hypocrisy is in her pretense that she is a woman.”

As I’ve viewed the continued attacks on Sarah Palin, another reason for the open frothing hatred the Liberal/Left is exhibiting toward her has occurred to me – she is a strong successful free woman who refuses to live on the liberal plantation.

In fact, because of her refusal to live on the liberal plantation, some like this University of Chicago Divinity School Professor view her as not really a woman: “Her greatest hypocrisy is in her pretense that she is a woman.”

The Liberal/Left views women as their property. And their contempt toward those women who refuse to be their property is palpable – yes, sometimes even to the point of denying their womanhood.

This is much like the Lefty attitude toward Blacks who refuse to stay on the liberal plantation. Remember the attacks on Clarence Thomas? If you are not a good n****r and stay on the liberal plantation, why you’re not really Black at all. You’re an “Uncle Tom.”

Yes, I do think Leftist bigotry is very much involved here.

Hattip to the Corner.

George Carey on UK Immigration

I’m heartened that the former Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey has bravely injected some common sense into the UK debate on immigration.

Such common sense often is lacking in the Church of England. More often, you hear the welcome everybody bit. Last autumn, I went to a Sunday Eucharist at Magdalen College Oxford. The choir was great. But they ditched one of the canticles. Instead, there was this long sermon on immigration from a decidedly less common sense view than ++Carey’s.

That was the only Sunday Eucharist I attended at Magdalen.

Hat tip to Titusonenine.

Confirmed: APA Diocese to Join REC

I wanted to be sure I got my facts straight before posting on this. But after talking to reliable sources, I can confirm that Bishop Richard Boyce of the Anglican Province of America has asked the Reformed Episcopal Church to receive him and his Diocese of the West. I can also confirm that unless there is some very unexpected change, the REC will indeed receive him and the willing within his diocese. The REC has not yet issued any public statements, however.

It appears Bishops Boyce’s main reason for switching to the REC is the APA’s reluctance to join Common Cause Partners. There is a large enough element in the APA that don’t want to join Common Cause that they are succeeding in keeping the APA out. Bishop Boyce is clearly fed up with that and wants to join Common Cause.

It’s sad that after making serious moves to increase orthodox Anglican unity, the APA backed away from that direction. This latest development is part of the fruit of not putting adequate weight on Jesus’ desire that we be one.

Feeling Better About Ike

Ike has now shifted direction to the north over Western Cuba. And I’m feeling better about it now. It would have to shift back to the south to hit me.

Now the weather forecasts actually do predict it will shift back to the south. But I don’t see it happening. Ike has been one weird hurricane, but I don’t think it’s that weird. Once hurricanes start heading to the north, they keep going that way.

I’m still keeping an eye on it, of course.

-------
This has been a busy day. So I haven’t been able to post on Anglican matters. I hope to have an timely post for you tomorrow morning.

I Like Ike?

I’ve been looking forward to Hurricane Ike getting into the Gulf of Mexico and sending more waves my way. (By the way, I caught one of the best rides in my life off of Gustav.)

But, I’m beginning to get a little nervous. It seems the forecasts keep missing the direction of Ike. The hurricane keeps going farther to the south than expected. If that trend continues, Ike could come a little close to me for comfort as a Category 3 hurricane. We’ll see.

Obama's Slip of the Tongue Over Religion

From this Times story:

[Obama] also repeated a previous charge that Republicans were seeking to smear him over his religion, alleging that they had been “very good at throwing rocks and hiding their hand” when discussing “my Muslim faith” – before swiftly correcting himself to say “my Christian faith”.

What the heck!?!

Make of that what you will, but that is one serious slip of the tongue.

Like everything else, it’s on YouTube now. It’s interesting that the reporter corrected him before he corrected himself. The Times’ use of “swiftly” is charitable.



Now, I do not think Obama is a Muslim. But what a slip!

MORE: To be fair, here's a much longer excerpt of the interview.

------

By the way, don’t walk, run, to your closest newsstand and hope they still have the September 1st issue of The National Review. It is chock full of background on Barack Obama. What I’ve read so far is very impressive and has gotten very little attention in the “Mainstream” News Media. There is a lot that is being hidden from us.

Why They Hate Sarah Palin

You’d think after my past years of political experience, nothing from liberals would surprise me. But their attempted (and failing) character assassination of Sarah Palin appalls me. Her selection as the Republican nominee for Vice President has really brought out the scumbag in some liberals.

I could get a good rant on about this, but instead I’ll refer you to a more thoughtful treatment over at First Things on “Why They Hate Her”.

Ubuntu!

The Episcopal Church has decided on their logo for their upcoming General Convention ’09.

If anyone sees anything remotely Christian in it or in its introduction, let me know, because I don’t see anything. The press release mentions the UN Millennium Development Goals more than Christ. Actually Christ is not mentioned. My initial response to the logo itself last night was “Crap, it even looks pagan.” But on second thought . . . crap, it does look pagan.

Which, of course, makes it very appropriate for the Episcopal Church.

The slogan itself is appropriate, too: “I in you and you in me.” As Christopher Johnson notes, “I stuff you and you stuff me. ‘Bout sums it up.”

Hat tip to Stand Firm.

Gulag U. S.?: Obama might pursue criminal charges against Bush.

From The Guardian:

Democratic vice-presidential nominee Joe Biden said yesterday that he and running mate Barack Obama could pursue criminal charges against the Bush administration if they are elected in November.

Obama sounded a similar note in April, vowing that if elected, he would ask his attorney general to initiate a prompt review of Bush-era actions to distinguish between possible "genuine crimes" and "really bad policies".

Wow. There really is a totalitarian impulse to Barack Obama. There is the cult of personality with Obama as Messiah. There are the attempts to suppress free speech. Now there’s the clear desire to have show trials to discredit and punish political adversaries.

Is Obama running for President of the U. S. or of the USSR?

What I Would Say if I were Sarah Palin

Oh Lord, pleeease let her say something like this:

“Senator Obama’s campaign doesn’t like that, before I became Governor, I was once a small town major, the major of Wasilla, Alaska. Well, I got news for Senator Obama. I’ll take the values and common sense of small town America over the corruption of the Chicago Daley political machine any day of the week.”


UPDATE: Well, she didn’t mention the Daley political machine, darn it. But she did a good job of making Obama pay for his contempt of small town America and gave a great speech. If the Democrats don’t destroy her, Sarah Barracuda will help destroy the Obama-Biden elitist ticket.

Obama Campaigns on . . . Abortion

The Obama campaign is running a radio ad on abortion.

OBAMA: I'm Barack Obama, candidate for president, and I approved this message.
VAL BARON: As a nurse practitioner with Planned Parenthood, I know abortion is one of the most difficult decisions a woman will ever make. I'm Val Baron. Let me tell you: If Roe v Wade is overturned, the lives and health of women will be put at risk. That's why this election is so important. John McCain's out of touch with women today. McCain wants to take away our right to choose. That's what women need to understand. That's how high the stakes are.
ANNCR: As president, John McCain will make abortion illegal. McCain says quote, "I do not support Roe v. Wade. It should be overturned." And listen to McCain's answer on Meet the Press:
RUSSERT: "A constitutional amendment to ban all abortions. You're for that?"
McCAIN: "Yes, sir."
VAL BARON: We can't let John McCain take away our right to choose. We can't let him take us back.
ANNCR: Paid for by Obama for America.

What are those lefties smoking?

I really do think we are seeing Psalm 7:15 in action. Picking Biden for Veep, dissing small towns again, and now campaigning on abortion.

I can’t see how this tactic can succeed, seeing how it brings more attention to Obama’s radical record on abortion. Abortion should be the last issue Obama would want to campaign on. But if that’s what he wants, bring it on!