Facial Cancer in Tasmanian Devils: An Analogy for Original Sin

Upon reading the article below, I immediately began wondering if this could be a way to explain the problem of original sin. Tasmanian devils have no immunity against facial cancer.  "The facial cancer was genetically identical in every animal and had originated from a single contagious cell line, spread throughout the population by biting during fights for food and mates."

Facial Cancer Drives Tasmanian Devils to Brink of Extinction

Last updated at 17:00 08 October 2007

The Tasmanian Devil could be wiped out in 20 years because it is unable to survive facial cancer.A lack of genetic diversity among the animals means it has failed to launch an immune defence response to the cancer decimating populations, Australian researchers say.

The facial cancer produces large tumours on the face and neck of the Tasmanian Devil, found only on the southern Australian island state of Tasmania, which interfere with feeding. Death usually occurs within six months.

The Tasmanian Devil is a carnivorous marsupial about the size of a small muscular dog. It has black fur, gives off a skunk-like odour when stressed, and earns its name for its ferocious temperment and disturbing call.

Endangered? - The illness produces large tumours on the animal's face and neck

"We found that the Devils do not mount an immune response against the tumour," said Katherine Belov from Sydney University's School of Veterinary Science.
"Essentially, there are no natural barriers to the spread of the disease, so affected individuals must be removed from populations to stop disease transmission," said Belov.
"Loss of genetic diversity in these genes just opens the door for emergence and rapid spread of new and old disease," Belov said in a statement on the Tasmanian Devil research.

The study also found that the facial cancer was genetically identical in every animal and had originated from a single contagious cell line, spread throughout the population by biting during fights for food and mates.

The Tasmanian Devil is found on the southern Australian island of Tasmania

The Tasmanian Devil faces extinction in 10 to 20 years due to the facial cancer, the report said. The research by Sydney University, the University of Tasmania, the Australian Museum and the Tasmanian government was published online by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

Satan, that old serpent, has bitten us and infected us with the cancer of rebellion against God.  Jesus provides us the immunity we need to avoid death. He "milked" the Satan on the cross to produce the antivenom we need against Satan's bite:  his body and blood are that antivenom. "To neutralize a sudden and large dose of venom requires maintaining a high level of circulating antibody (a hyperimmunized state), through repeated venom injections."  Perhaps this is why we need to regularly receive Eucharist: the elements are not just symbols, but repeated "venom injections."


Natural and Required Immunity (from Wikipedia)

Although individuals can vary in their physiopathological response and sensitivity to animal venoms, there is no natural immunity to them in humans. It is quite possible to immunize a person directly with small and graded doses of venom ...According to Greek history, King Mithridates did this in order to protect himself against attempts of poisoning, therefore this procedure is often called mithridatization. However, unlike a vaccination against disease which must only produce a latent immunity that can be roused in case of infection, to neutralize a sudden and large dose of venom requires maintaining a high level of circulating antibody (a hyperimmunized state), through repeated venom injections (typically every 21 days)..... Mithridatization has been tried with success in Australia and Brazil and total immunity has been achieved even to multiple bites of extremely venomous cobras and pit vipers. Starting in 1950, Bill Haast successfully immunized himself to the venoms of Cape, Indian and King cobras

Craigslist: would you really want to buy this?

33x22 stainless two bowel sink - $40 (Eugene)

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Understanding Inequality: the National Income Parade

Here's a provocative illustration, from an article in The Economist: "the National Income Parade."

Jan Pen, a Dutch economist who died last year, came up with a striking way to picture inequality. Imagine people’s height being proportional to their income, so that someone with an average income is of average height. Now imagine that the entire adult population of America is walking past you in a single hour, in ascending order of income.

The first passers-by, the owners of loss-making businesses, are invisible: their heads are below ground. Then come the jobless and the working poor, who are midgets. After half an hour the strollers are still only waist-high, since America’s median income is only half the mean. It takes nearly 45 minutes before normal-sized people appear. But then, in the final minutes, giants thunder by. With six minutes to go they are 12 feet tall. When the 400 highest earners walk by, right at the end, each is more than two miles tall.

Philosophy hand signals

via the Leitner Report

Song for the "Supermoon"

In honor of tonight's Supermoon, I give you the unequalled Lucia Popp, singing the "Song to the Moon" from Dvorak's Rusalka.

Pisen Rusalky O Mesiku (Song of the Moon), Rusalka's aria from Rusalka

Mesiku na nebi hlubokem                    O moon high up in the deep, deep sky,
Svetlo tvé daleko vidi,                         Your l ight sees far away regions,
Po svete bloudis sirokém,                    You travel round the wide,
Divas se v pribytky lidi.                       Wide world peering into human dwellings


Mesicku, postuj chvili                          O, moon, stand still for a moment,
reckni mi, kde je muj mily                   Tell me, ah, tell me where is my lover!
Rekni mu, stribmy mesicku,                Tell him. please, silvery moon in the sky,
me ze jej objima rame,                         That I am hugging him firmly,
aby si alespon chvilicku                       That he should for at least a while
vzpomenul ve sneni na mne.                Remember his dreams!
Zasvet mu do daleka,                           Light up his far away place,
rekni mu, rekni m kdo tu nan ceka!     Tell him, ah, tell him who is here waiting!
O mneli duse lidska sni,                       If he is dreaming about me,
at'se tou vzpominkou vzbudi!              May this remembrance waken him!
Mesicku, nezhasni, nezhasni!              O, moon, don't disappear, disappear!

Translation by Jules Brunelle (brunellejules@videotron.ca)

Supermoon Tonight: Biggest Full Moon in 18 Years

It may not be faster than a speeding bullet, but tonight the moon will make its closest approach to Earth in 18 years—making the so-called supermoon the biggest full moon in years.

And despite Internet rumors, the impending phenomenon had no influence on the March 11 Japan earthquake and tsunami (see pictures).

The monthly full moon always looks like a big disk, but because its orbit is egg-shaped, there are times when the moon is at perigee—its shortest distance from Earth in the roughly monthlong lunar cycle—or at apogee, its farthest distance from Earth.

Likewise, because the size of the moon's orbit varies slightly, each perigee is not always the same distance away from Earth. Tonight's supermoon will be just 221,566 miles (356,577 kilometers) away from Earth. The last time the full moon approached so close to Earth was in 1993, according to NASA.

The March 19 supermoon, as it's called, will be visible "pretty much any time during the night," said Geza Gyuk, astronomer at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago.

"Look for the full moon as it rises above the eastern horizon as the sun sets below the western horizon—it will be a beautiful and inspiring sight," he said via email.

(See "Year's Biggest Full Moon, Mars Create Sky Show." [2010].)

Though the supermoon will be about 20 percent brighter and 15 percent bigger than a regular full moon, the visual effect may be subtle, added Anthony Cook, astronomical observer for the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles.

"I doubt that most people will notice anything unusual about this full moon," Cook said.

"Because the total amount of light is a little greater, the biggest effect will be on the illumination of the ground—but not enough to be very noticeable to the casual observer."

Indelicate, but Amazing: The Caroma SuperToilet

I just read this article, The Toilet I'm Going To Buy Rand Paul by David Roberts

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) had a bit of an outburst at a hearing of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee the other day, revealing that he hasn't had a working toilet for 20 years and, damn it, he blames the gubmint.

Bill Scher has already offered the the senator some judicious advice on how to find a toilet that works. Clearly plunging his prodigious movements has generated quite a bit of anti-government sentiment in Paul. Perhaps with better facilities he will come around to a more benign view of public policy. We all wish him godspeed.

I just wanted to weigh in here because I f'ing love my toilet. I mean, I love this thing like people love their kids. I talk about our toilet so much it makes my wife uncomfortable at dinner parties.

It's made by an Australian company, Caroma. In Australia they don't have any water; consequently, they have the world's best toilet designers. This is our model, the Sydney Smart. Just look at it. What a beauty.

It has two buttons, one for, er, larger excretions, and one for the merely liquid variety. The heavy flush dispenses just 1.28 gallons of water, well below the federal government's requirement of 1.6 gallons. The low-flush option, however, dispenses a miserly 0.8 gallons -- the most water efficient flush available on the market.

And guess what? I've never used the heavy flush. Not once. And listen, I don't want to get graphic on you or anything, but I have two sons. Our family toilet does not have an easy time of it. It has faced ... challenges.

The thing is, the toilet is impossible to clog. Are you hearing this? You cannot clog it, people. (Perhaps only parents of boys understand the cosmic significance of this fact.)

The trick is in the trapway -- it's 4 inches wide rather than the 2 1/8 inches standard in U.S. toilets.

If this is not making the proper impression on you, perhaps you'd like to see a grown man flush a potato down it (about a minute in):

Anyway, toilets like these were made possible by federal regulations. The government acted in the public interest to require lower water use. In order to make toilets that work with less water, toilet-makers innovated. The result is toilets that are more effective and efficient -- better toilets. Everybody wins. Except Rand Paul, who bought a crappy toilet 20 years ago and hasn't been bothered to go back to Home Depot since.

If he likes, I will personally have one of these toilets sent to Sen. Paul. Perhaps it will change his life like it has changed mine. Perhaps it will reassure him that his freedom to flush his turds with lots and lots of water was not sacrificed in vain.

I was so impressed with this that I just had to continue watching the suggested videos. The one below is absolutely incredible. Just  don't let your cat or small dog get near one of these things!

A Lenten Meditation: True and False Orthodoxy

I came upon this this morning, and found it to be a helpful piece for my Lenten meditations. False orthodoxy separates us from one another and from the Lord. True orthodoxy draws us closer to the Lord, and to each other.  False orthodoxy seeks uniformity. True orthodoxy seeks faithful constancy.

Lord, help us to be faithful to you, not only in with our minds, but with our hearts, souls and strength.

Young Evangelical’s Prayer for John Piper and Rob Bell
Posted by Austin Dannhaus

God of heaven, earth and all people:

Thank you that you are in the process of restoring your kingdom, and invite us to participate.

We confess that we often rebel against your best hopes and dreams for the world, both in the things we do and in the things we leave undone. Give us your grace to sustain us as we learn to live and act in sync with what you are up to in the lives of individuals, in the lives of people groups, in our institutions, and among your creation.

Forgive us when we quarrel with one another out of selfish ambition, vain-conceit and misplaced piety — when our posture should instead be the same as that of Jesus Christ: a servant. (Philippians 2:1-11)

Forgive us when we make ourselves like the leaders of Jesus’ day, sewing division and a spirit of religion amongst your people, “traveling over land and seas to make a single convert, and then making them twice the sons of hell that we are.” (Matthew 23:15)

Forgive us when we call out splinters in the eyes of those whose beliefs and lifestyles we disagree with without first removing planks in our own eyes, and the proverbial eye of our own doctrinal tribe. (Matthew 7:3-5)

Forgive us when we construct walls that divide and separate your family – our own brothers and sisters in Christ — rather than pursuing love, forgiveness, reconciliation, and unity – so that the world might know that God and Jesus are One. (John 15:9-17, 17:20-23)

Forgive us when we defame your holy name by misrepresenting your unconditional love. God, you are love, and you have called us to love one another because you first loved us. (1 John 4:7-21)

Forgive us when we forget that your son Jesus was condemned to death as a heretic –- like the biblical prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah, Micah and Amos before him –- all in the name of “orthodoxy”. (Luke 13:34; Acts 7:51-53)

God, in your infinite love and wisdom, help us to bear good fruit for the sake of your kingdom. Teach us to recognize when we do not incarnate the fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. We know that your disciples have always been identified by these virtues and we pray that you give us strength to bear this fruit as well. (John 15:1-8; Galatians 5:22-23)

In the name of the Father, your son Jesus, and by the power of the Holy Spirit,

Amen

Thoughts for Ash Wednesday

Dan Whitmarsh questions the need for Ash Wednesday and Lent in his blog entry, "Ashes to Ashes."
Here is my response:

We live among a people who have forgotten the importance of time, who live neither in chronos nor kairos but who fixate upon the moment and present experience. It seems to me that the Church Year offers a corrective to this sort of myopia. The point of the Church calendar is to bring us in step with Christ.

Thus, Lent is a season for us to remember that Christ came not for the healthy but for the sick; not for the righteous but for sinners. (Luke 5:31-32). In receiving the ashes we confess that we are sinners, and that we look to Christ to transform us.

I agree, Lent is not a time to preach that we are worms, nor is it an excuse to "slide into low self-esteem Christianity." Rather, it is a time for reflection and renewal, lamenting the sins we still need to be forgiven for, and preparing for the Final and Greatest Party of all. God wants to throw that party, and He wants to clean us up for it so that we will be able to fully focus on the festivities, without any distractions.

A Hymn to God the Father



John Donne (1572-1631)

Wilt thou forgive that sin where I begun,
Which was my sin, though it were done before?
Wilt thou forgive that sin, through which I run,
And do run still, though still I do deplore?
When thou hast done, thou hast not done,
For I have more.

Wilt thou forgive that sin which I have won
Others to sin, and made my sin their door?
Wilt thou forgive that sin which I did shun
A year or two, but wallow'd in, a score?
When thou hast done, thou hast not done,
For I have more.

I have a sin of fear, that when I have spun
My last thread, I shall perish on the shore;
But swear by thyself, that at my death thy Son
Shall shine as he shines now, and heretofore;
And, having done that, thou hast done;
I fear no more

So yes, chronologically we stand on this side of Easter; but biblically we are called not simply to live in chronos but in Kairos. That is why we come to Lent the same way we come to the Table:

Come to this sacred table, not because you must, but because you may;
Come to testify not that you are righteous,
but that you sincerely love our Jesus Christ, and desire to be his true disciple;
Come not because you are strong, but because you are weak;
Come not because you have any claim on heaven's rewards,
but because in your frailty and sin you stand in constant need of heaven's mercy and help;
Come not to express an opinion,
but to seek His Presence and pray for His Spirit.  

Just as I am. I come.

Heading toward Class Warfare

“There’s class warfare, all right, but it’s my class, the rich class, that’s making war, and we’re winning.”--  Warren Buffet

The average American's income has not changed much, while the richest 5% of Americans have seen their earnings surge. This chart includes capital gains.

How the Middle Class became the Underclass


By Annalyn Censky, staff reporter

February 16, 2011: 4:30 PM ET


NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Are you better off than your parents?

Probably not if you're in the middle class.

 Incomes for 90% of Americans have been stuck in neutral, and it's not just because of the Great Recession. Middle-class incomes have been stagnant for at least a generation, while the wealthiest tier has surged ahead at lighting speed.

In 1988, the income of an average American taxpayer was $33,400, adjusted for inflation. Fast forward 20 years, and not much had changed: The average income was still just $33,000 in 2008, according to IRS data.

Meanwhile, the richest 1% of Americans -- those making $380,000 or more -- have seen their incomes grow 33% over the last 20 years, leaving average Americans in the dust.

Experts point to some of the usual suspects -- like technology and globalization -- to explain the widening gap between the haves and have-nots.

But there's more to the story.

A real drag on the middle class

One major pull on the working man was the decline of unions and other labor protections, said Bill Rodgers, a former chief economist for the Labor Department, now a professor at Rutgers University.

Because of deals struck through collective bargaining, union workers have traditionally earned 15% to 20% more than their non-union counterparts, Rodgers said.

But union membership has declined rapidly over the past 30 years. In 1983, union workers made up about 20% of the workforce. In 2010, they represented less than 12%.

"The erosion of collective bargaining is a key factor to explain why low-wage workers and middle income workers have seen their wages not stay up with inflation," Rodgers said.

Without collective bargaining pushing up wages, especially for blue-collar work -- average incomes have stagnated.


How do you define middle class?

International competition is another factor. While globalization has lifted millions out of poverty in developing nations, it hasn't exactly been a win for middle class workers in the U.S.

Factory workers have seen many of their jobs shipped to other countries where labor is cheaper, putting more downward pressure on American wages.

"As we became more connected to China, that poses the question of whether our wages are being set in Beijing," Rodgers said.

Finding it harder to compete with cheaper manufacturing costs abroad, the U.S. has emerged as primarily a services-producing economy. That trend has created a cultural shift in the job skills American employers are looking for.

Whereas 50 years earlier, there were plenty of blue collar opportunities for workers who had only high school diploma, now employers seek "soft skills" that are typically honed in college, Rodgers said.

A boon for the rich

While average folks were losing ground in the economy, the wealthiest were capitalizing on some of those same factors, and driving an even bigger wedge between themselves and the rest of America.

For example, though globalization has been a drag on labor, it's been a major win for corporations who've used new global channels to reduce costs and boost profits. In addition, new markets around the world have created even greater demand for their products.

"With a global economy, people who have extraordinary skills... whether they be in financial services, technology, entertainment or media, have a bigger place to play and be rewarded from," said Alan Johnson, a Wall Street compensation consultant.

As a result, the disparity between the wages for college educated workers versus high school grads has widened significantly since the 1980s.

In 1980, workers with a high school diploma earned about 71% of what college-educated workers made. In 2010, that number fell to 55%.

Another driver of the rich: The stock market.

The S&P 500 has gained more than 1,300% since 1970. While that's helped the American economy grow, the benefits have been disproportionately reaped by the wealthy.

And public policy of the past few decades has only encouraged the trend.

Considering yourself 'rich'

The 1980s was a period of anti-regulation, presided over by President Reagan, who loosened rules governing banks and thrifts.

A major game changer came during the Clinton era, when barriers between commercial and investment banks, enacted during the post-Depression era, were removed.

In 2000, the Commodity Futures Modernization Act also weakened the government's oversight of complex securities, allowing financial innovations to take off, creating unprecedented amounts of wealth both for the overall economy, and for those directly involved in the financial sector.

Tax cuts enacted during the Bush administration and extended under Obama were also a major windfall for the nation's richest.

And as then-Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan brought interest rates down to new lows during the decade, the housing market experienced explosive growth.

"We were all drinking the Kool-aid, Greenspan was tending bar, Bernanke and the academic establishment were supplying the liquor," Deutsche Bank managing director Ajay Kapur wrote in a research report in 2009.

But the story didn't end well. Eventually, it all came crashing down, resulting in the worst economic slump since the Great Depression.

With the unemployment rate still excessively high and the real estate market showing few signs of rebounding, the American middle class is still reeling from the effects of the Great Recession.

Meanwhile, as corporate profits come roaring back and the stock market charges ahead, the wealthiest people continue to eclipse their middle-class counterparts.

"I think it's a terrible dilemma, because what we're obviously heading toward is some kind of class warfare," Johnson said.

My Response to "Do You Know the Preamble for your State?"

My uncle, who is a very sharp 92 years old and a deacon in the Roman Catholic church, sent this to me:

Do you know the Preamble for your state?
Be sure to read the message in red at the very bottom!

Alabama 1901, Preamble: We the people of the State of Alabama, invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish the following Constitution...
Alaska 1956, Preamble: We, the people of Alaska, grateful to God and to those who founded our nation and pioneered this great land...

Arizona 1911, Preamble: We, the people of the State of Arizona, grateful to Almighty God for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution...

Arkansas 1874, Preamble: We, the people of the State of Arkansas, grateful to Almighty God for the privilege of choosing our own form of government...

California 1879, Preamble: We, the People of the State of California, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom...

Colorado 1876, Preamble: We, the people of Colorado, with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of Universe...

Connecticut 1818, Preamble: The People of Connecticut, acknowledging with gratitude the good Providence of God in permitting them to enjoy...

Delaware 1897, Preamble: Through Divine Goodness all men have, by nature, the rights of worshipping and serving their Creator according to the dictates of their consciences...

Florida 1885, Preamble: We, the people of the State of Florida, grateful to Almighty God for our constitutional liberty, establish this Constitution...

Georgia 1777, Preamble: We, the people of Georgia, relying upon protection and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish this Constitution...

Hawaii 1959, Preamble: We, the people of Hawaii, Grateful for Divine Guidance...Establish this Constitution...

Idaho 1889, Preamble: We, the people of the State of Idaho, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings...

Illinois 1870, Preamble: We, the people of the State of Illinois, grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy and looking to Him for a blessing on our endeavors...

Indiana 1851, Preamble: We, the People of the State of Indiana, grateful to Almighty God for the free exercise of the right to choose our form of government...

Iowa 1857, Preamble: We, the People of the St ate of Iowa, grateful to the Supreme Being for the blessings hitherto enjoyed, and feeling our dependence on Him for a continuation of these blessings, establish this Constitution...

Kansas 1859, Preamble: We, the people of Kansas, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious privileges establish this Constitution...

Kentucky 1891, Preamble: We, the people of the Commonwealth are grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties...

Louisiana 1921, Preamble: We, the people of the State of Louisiana, grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties we enjoy...

Maine 1820, Preamble: We the People of Maine acknowledging with grateful hearts the goodness of the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe in affording us an opportunity...And imploring His aid and direction...

Maryland 1776, Preamble: We, the people of the state of Maryland, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberty...

Massachusetts 1780, Preamble: We...the people of Massachusetts, acknowledging with grateful hearts, the goodness of the Great Legislator of the Universe In the course of His Providence, an opportunity and devoutly imploring His direction...

Michigan 1908, Preamble: We, the people of the State of Michigan, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of freedom, establish this Constitution...

Minnesota, 1857, Preamble: We, the people of the State of Minnesota, grateful to God for our civil and religious liberty, and desiring to perpetuate its blessings...

Mississippi 1890, Preamble: We, the people of Mississippi in convention assembled, grateful to Almighty God, and invoking His blessing on our work...

Missouri 1845, Preamble: We, the people of Missouri, with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, and grateful for His goodness...Establish this Constitution...

Montana 1889, Preamble: We, the people of Montana, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty establish this Constitution...

Nebraska 1875, Preamble: We, the people, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom...Establish this Constitution...

Nevada 1864, Preamble: We the people of the State of Nevada, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, establish this Constitution...

New Hampshire 1792, Part I. Art. I. Sec. V: Every individual has a natural and unalienable right to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience...

New Jersey 1844, Preamble: We, the people of the State of New Jersey, grateful to Almighty God for civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing on our endeavors...

New Mexico 1911, Preamble: We, the People of New Mexico, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty...

New York 1846, Preamble: We, the people of the State of New York, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, in order to secure its blessings...

North Carolina 1868, Preamble: We the people of the State of North Carolina, grateful to Almighty God, the Sovereign Ruler of Nations, for our civil, political, and religious liberties, and acknowledging our dependence upon Him for the continuance of those...

North Dakota 1889, Preamble: We, the people of North Dakota, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, do ordain...

Ohio 1852, Preamble: We the people of the state of Ohio, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings and to promote our common...

Oklahoma 1907, Preamble: Invoking the guidance of Almighty God, in order to secure and perpetuate the blessings of liberty, establish this...

Oregon 1857, Bill of Rights, Article I Section 2: All men shall be secure in the Natural right, to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their consciences...

Pennsylvania 1776, Preamble: We, the people of Pennsylvania, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, and humbly invoking His guidance...

Rhode Island 1842, Preamble: We the People of the State of Rhode Island grateful to Almighty God for the civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing...

South Carolina, 1778, Preamble: We, the people of he State of South Carolina grateful to God for our liberties, do ordain and establish this Constitution...

South Dakota 1889, Preamble: We, the people of South Dakota, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberties...

Tennessee 1796, Art. XI..III: That all men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their conscience...

Texas 1845, Preamble: We the People of the Republic of Texas, acknowledging, with gratitude, the grace and beneficence of God...

Utah 1896, Preamble: Grateful to Almighty God for life and liberty, we establish this Constitution...

Vermont 1777, Preamble: Whereas all government ought to enable the individuals who compose it to enjoy their natural rights, and other blessings which the Author of Existence has bestowed on man...

Virginia 1776, Bill of Rights, XVI: Religion, or the Duty which we owe our Creator can be directed only by Reason and that it is the mutual duty of all to practice Christian Forbearance, Love and Charity towards each other...

Washington 1889, Preamble: We the People of the State of Washington, grateful to the Supreme Ruler of the Universe for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution...

West Virginia 1872, Preamble: Since through Divine Providence we enjoy the blessings of civil, political and religious liberty, we, the people of West Virginia reaffirm our faith in and constant reliance upon God...

Wisconsin 1848, Preamble: We, the people of Wisconsin, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, domestic tranquility...

Wyoming 1890, Preamble: We, the people of the State of Wyoming, grateful to God for our civil, political, and religious liberties, establish this Constitution...

After reviewing acknowledgments of God from all 50 state constitutions, one is faced with the prospect that maybe ..... the ACLU and the out-of-control federal courts are wrong! If you found this to be 'Food for thought!', send to as many as you think will be enlightened as I hope you were.

This is what I wrote back to my uncle:

Forgive me for preaching, but look at the dates these statements were written. Perhaps we USED TO BE a Christian society...but even then, mere words do not make us Christians. Catholics-- above all people!-- should know this, because they used to insist, contra the Reformation, that faith without works is dead.

James 2:14-26

Faith and Deeds

What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.


But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”


Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that­and shudder.


You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.


In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

And Jesus Himself warns us:

Matthew 25:31-46

The Sheep and the Goats

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.


“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’


“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’


“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’


“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’


“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’


“He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’


“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

It's been interesting (to see how those who have the most (in terms of wealth and power) have been the least willing to act for the common good. However it isn't surprising, as Romans 3:23 says"all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." Sin tends to dis-integrate individuals and societies. Instead of caring for God and each other, we turn selfish, and eventually adopt a vision of society that says, "everyone for himself,"

The good news of Christ is that His kingdom is not about the survival of the fittest, but about "the least of these." Who are "the least of these" in America today? Mother Teresa showed us: not only the unborn, but also the poor, the sick, the orphaned, the dying. Yet we say, through our legislators, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed, even if you are unemployed.” "Go in peace, be free of the responsibilities created when you engage in sexual activity." "Go in peace, even if you've just lost your health insurance." "Go in peace, die with 'dignity' so we don't have to share in your suffering."

In the end, it will not just be about what we professed, but how well we walked our talk. God has children, but no grandchildren! Perhaps the same is true of nations.