A Further Perspective
Obama Is Right and Carter Is Wrong
The peanut farmer plays the race card and insults the American people.
Jimmy Carter is back in the news. It seems he’s a bit desperate to be in the news these days. He’s gone on record saying it’s racism that is motivating the opposition to President Obama’s policies. The Town Hall meetings of this summer, anger erupted over the rising mountains of debt that will crush us and our children’s generation. But to Jimmy Carter such expressions of concern seem little different than mob actions. “There is an inherent feeling among many in this country that an African American should not be President,” Carter said in Atlanta.
It’s certainly not the first time Jimmy Carter has played the discreditable race card. In 1980, he accused Ronald Reagan over and over of being a racist. When Jimmy Carter’s dad was undeniably a segregationist in the Old South, Ronald Reagan was inviting his black friends from his Eureka College football team to spend the night in his home rather than face unjust discrimination at Illinois hotels. Ronald Reagan pledged — and kept that pledge — to enforce our nation’s historic Civil Rights laws. No matter. Jimmy Carter’s glass house may have been windowless, but that did not stop his stone-throwing.
President Obama’s White House does not endorse Carter’s unsubstantiated charges. Administration spokesman Robert Gibbs said: “[The President] does not believe that criticism comes based on the color of his skin.” Gibbs attributed it instead to honest policy differences. Well, good for Gibbsy!
That should settle it. But it won’t. The New York Times’ Maureen Dowd launched an over-the-top charge, saying that when Congressman Joe Wilson yelled out: “You lie!” he really meant to say: “You lie, boy!” She was able to do this without even reading the obstreperous lawmaker’s palm.
There is ancient historic precedent in America for Dowd’s charge. Back in Salem in 1693, nineteen Americans were hanged on the basis of “spectral evidence.” That is, there were no words, deeds, or documents that confirmed that they were witches, but they did have eerie “specters” about them. Maybe Arlen whispered in Dowd’s ear!
Let me say, it is out of bounds and completely unacceptable for Members of Congress to yell out during a Presidential Address to a Joint Session. Joe Wilson knows that and has dutifully apologized. It is also deeply offensive and uncivil to depict President Obama as Hitler. I reject both kinds of demonstrations. It would be nice to see our liberal friends issue an apology — even a belated one would do — for the similarly vicious characterizations of George W. Bush as Hitler. We all remember the infamous videos that depicted President Bush and the Republicans as Nazis.
Jimmy Carter’s flailing led 40,898,770 Americans to boot him out of office in 1980. Were they all racists, too? Since that time, he has won a Nobel Peace Prize by consorting with known terrorists and tin pot dictators.
Americans have largely forgiven him for the dangerous weakness of his four-year term. Americans are a generous people, praising Carter for his cabinet-making for Habitat for Humanity. He does deserve praise for this charitable work. But we should be grateful he’s making cabinets for poor people and not for our nation. When he ripped out his presidential Cabinet, firing almost all of them, while leaving his errant White House staff in place, a leading Democrat cried: “He cut down all the tall trees, but left the monkeys!”
There’s another irony to Jimmy Carter crying racist wolf. It was under his weak leadership that hundreds of thousands of Africans fell under communist domination. It is arguable that more black people lost their liberty under Jimmy Carter than under any President in U.S. history.
So let us hope Carter will take a cue from President Obama’s White House and pipe down. He has had a mercifully long retirement. There’s no provision for impeaching ex-Presidents. But we would all hope that age would finally bring some wisdom to this one. It’s time for him to cease making the kind of baseless charges that led Ronald Reagan to dismiss him with a winsome smile and a famous turn of the head: “There you go again.”
About the Author
Ken Blackwell, the former mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio is Vice Chairman of the Republican National Committee’s Platform Committee. He also serves on the boards of the Club For Growth and the National Taxpayers Union.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (113) | Leave a comment
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Melvin| 9.18.09 @ 7:19AM
Jimmy Carter is exactly the reason we have Iran on the threshold of Nuclear weapons.
This bungling incompetent fool should be considered a pariah, and be treated as a scourge.\
The media should be ashamed of giving this political simpleton one second of media face time, but then again then media has no shame, because it's all about the story isn't it?
Cris Worth| 9.18.09 @ 7:39AM
Carter is a zealot bent on damaging this country as much as possible including his own political party. Zealots are not deterred by barrages of criticism or the obvious damage they have already caused. A little history note (1977): Carter bared his anti-American fangs when he stated Americans have an inordinate fear of communism. The dye was cast, a destructive one-term with serious latent effects leaving the world in great confusion and tragedy.
martin j smith| 9.18.09 @ 8:20AM
Carter=Obama and Obama= Carter. Do not let Gibbsy fool you. There is a theory which I did not invent but I believe is quite plausable and it goes like this: Obama uses surrogates to do his dirty work and this allows him to seem above it all so to speak. The race card is a tactic that is being used by all Democratic supporters including the MSM.
martin j smith| 9.18.09 @ 8:20AM
Carter=Obama and Obama= Carter. Do not let Gibbsy fool you. There is a theory which I did not invent but I believe is quite plausable and it goes like this: Obama uses surrogates to do his dirty work and this allows him to seem above it all so to speak. The race card is a tactic that is being used by all Democratic supporters including the MSM.
MJ Turkelson| 9.18.09 @ 8:36AM
Ken
I applaud your substantive article though am a little cool on your praise of "The White House". We need to hear those words from the President NOT the stumbling clown who entertains the govt press. I applaud the path you are on and continue to support you as a Solid American and in your leadership role in the National Conservative Movement.
Louis Jenkins| 9.18.09 @ 8:42AM
It is also deeply offensive and uncivil to depict President Obama as Hitler.
Yes, and its deeply offensive to make a movie about killing a president, and then it opens in 143 American theaters. Bush, Clinton, Bush, Ronnie, etc., all endured the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. Remember- it's also offensive to call Tea Partiers, conservatives, Townhalls attendees Nazis, Terrorists, Racists, threats to America's security, etc. It's offensive for Senators to call our service people terrorists, baby killers, takers of ears, etc. but it has HAPPENED!! So please Mr. Blackwell, your point is? The people have been polite, called and e-mailed their representatives and senators in DC, but they have been ignored for too long. All they have received for being polite are more taxes many times over, more illegal immigrants spilling over the border, a threat to their health care, government borrowing against their children and grandchildren, and the children yet to be born, bailouts for automakers which has cost the US taxpayer more than the savings will be with greater gas milage, subjugation to the UN (a bunch of communists, dictators, warlords, murders of their own people), etc. Are you expecting the citizens to raise their hands to ask questions like students in a classroom? We expect, no we demand, good government and an end to this juvenile circus in the District of Crimminals. And if you find Joe Wilson offensive, YOU AIN'T HEARD NOTHING YET!
Louis Jenkins| 9.18.09 @ 9:00AM
Oh yeah!! I forgot. Jimmy Carter is a laughing stock, dottard, geriatric, has been. I used to think well of the old man, when he was building houses. I felt he had redeemed himself from his days as a dufus president. But, boy, he really urinated in the churn when he started posing as an international and domestic diplomat. His latest comments on Suthern Racists, Bigot, Homophobes, has put the icing on the cake. I noticed the Messiah-in-Chief has distanced himself, which was politically wise, allowing Jimmy to carry the water. And when the time comes Obama will kick Jimmy and his wheelchair down the stairs. Jimmy, go back to Georgia and take your Halidol.
Margie| 9.18.09 @ 1:55PM
"And when the time comes Obama will kick Jimmy and his wheelchair down the stairs."
That is exactly right. That is exactly how the communists treat their fellow comrades. Go read the book "Tortured for Christ", by Richard Wurmbrand. A man who spent 14 years in communist prisons. There is no honor among thieves.
Texas Male| 9.18.09 @ 11:31AM
Great post Louis.
The media and Washington STILL don't get it. The fact that we haven't stormed the capitol building is a result of restraint. We have plainly.....and loudly said HALT to our government and they continue to march forward stripping us of our liberty and treasure, including the future of our children. What does it take for them to get it?
McCain-Feingold - unconstitutional
insurance mandates - unconstitutional
government confiscation of the economy and controlling every aspect of our lives - unconstitutional
Protecting the borders is THE most important function of government, and yet there is none.
As you inferred, if they are offended by our actions and continue to insult and threaten the American people....you ain't seen nothing yet.
We WILL take back our country from both Democrats and Republicans. It's time for individual elected representatives to take a side and hold pat because the political fire that will sweep this land will be massive unless something gives.
Son Of Sam | 9.18.09 @ 12:10PM
Louis, you have it exactly correct. And I would like to add two actions to back up the words you are expressing:
A) start investigating, indicting, prosecuting and CONVICTING the clowns and criminals who currently control both the White House and the Dummocrat Congresss. It is not enough to throw them out of office: they need to be in prison. And I don't mean min security white collar resort prison. I mean actual JAIL time for these thugs who are robbing us blind, and then trying to tell us its for "our own good". This country will never be truly free until at least several thousand ObamaNazis are behind bars where they belong.
B) somebody make Jimmy Carter put his teeth back in the glass and park his sourpuss back in front of a TV and not ON the TV news. He was an idiot as a President, and a sore loser as an ex-President
stay strong until freedom dawns
Son Of Sam
http://www.samadamssos.bravehost.com/
Michael L. Hauschild| 9.18.09 @ 8:53AM
"Let me say, it is out of bounds and completely unacceptable for Members of Congress to yell out during a Presidential Address."
Mr. Blackwell,
"Let me say, it is out of bounds and completely unacceptable for the President of the United States t blatantly lie to Members of Congress and in these times of destruction of the very fabric of our constitution and democracy it is perfectly acceptable to yell out "you lie." As a matter of fact every time this occurs I will send some of my hard earned cash (as I did to Wilson) to that very person.
Only clowns such as yourself steeped in the beltway sewer and so full of your displaced self-rendered self-esteem could misread the response of the enraged electorate and worry about decorum.
Margie| 9.18.09 @ 3:16PM
Thank you for saying this, Mr. Hauschild. Some of us are not as "intellectual" as the Blackwells & friends. I suppose he counts himself amongst the "moderate" Republicans? Perhaps he too would bow to the Saudi King out of "respect", as Obama did? Thank God for the Joe Wilson!
Bruce | 9.21.09 @ 9:58AM
I am in total agreement with both Mr. Hauschild and Margie. Decorum be damned - the liberal Dems and their minions disposed of that noble gesture long ago. The fact is - Obama wouldn't know a truth if it bit him on his posterior. He is a serial liar - we know it and so does anyone else with an IG over 100.
I'm waiting for someone to tell us exactly how Mr. Wilson was WRONG in his brief assessment of Obama's credibility.
Michael L. Hauschild| 9.18.09 @ 5:38PM
As always when I give someone a knock I do a little background. To my horror I come to find that I am a practicing racist. (I did not have a clue that Blackwell was, well Black.) All I was concerned about was the inane statement about "privilege." The NRA gives him an "A" so he can't be all that bad.
There is "talk" of him becoming another RNC "dignitary." Good place for him, he certainly can't do any harm, and by all means carries the right attitude that will endear him to all.
Margie| 9.18.09 @ 5:57PM
It's like telling the Pope he's sinner like the rest of us, I suppose. It's against the rules. No mater that he makes himself out to be Christ on earth. We should all bow before him and kiss his ring. Not on your life! Nor will I sit quietly and have "respect" for a President who openly lies to the nation. The logic is so phony in the argument that Joe Wilson shouldn't have said anything. Why don't we all just lay down and die for these lying Socialist creeps? The problem is, that is exactly what we have been doing for decades. It's abut time we knock it off. So call me a racist. I'm a Pope-a-phobe too.
Nick| 9.19.09 @ 9:05AM
Margie,
If you were in the presence of the Holy Father, your knees would tremble and you would bow before they buckled. This would be the Holy Spirit slapping some sense into you.
The Holy Father does not make "himself out to be Christ on earth", by the way. He is the "Vicar of Christ."
Christ is the "King of Kings" and Pope Benedict XVI is His Prime Minister. Understand?
You shouldn't be so ignorant of someone elses religion, if you're going to bash it. It makes you look foolish.
Margie| 9.19.09 @ 1:19PM
If I were in the presence of the man who calls himself the holy father, I would ask him how he could call himself such, when the in the Bible Jesus says "Call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven" (Matt. 23:9). And I'd ask him why he acts like he has the power to forgive sins, when the it states point blank in the Bible, "For God is one, also there is one Mediator of God and of men, the Man Christ Jesus." Which do you follow? The Bible, or a Religion. Do you even read the Bible? Or do you blindly follow tradition and folly? And I'd be careful about telling the Holy Spirit who to slap around if I were you.
Nick| 9.19.09 @ 6:25PM
Margie,
"Call no man your father on earth [...]"
You had better tell that to Saint Stephen and Saint Paul: "Who said: Ye men, brethren and fathers, hear. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham[...]" (Acts 7:2)
and, "But when Rebecca also had conceived at once of Isaac our father." (Romans 9:10)
and, "For if you have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet not many fathers. For in Christ Jesus, by the gospel, I have begotten [fathered] you." (1 Cor 4:15) Way to wrench a quote out of context! Do you call your dad by his first name? In Matthew 23:1-12, Christ is admonishing the cult of personality.
"[T]he power to forgive sins [...]"
"And Jesus answering said to him: Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jonah [son of John]: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven. And I say to thee: That thou art Cephas [Rock in Aramaic]; and upon this Cephas [rock] I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven [the office of Prime Minister]. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven [the power of the P.M. to forgive transgressions, i.e. sins]." (Matt 16: 17-19) And I forgive you for bashing the Holy Father, Margie.
"Or do you blindly follow tradition [...]"
Again, talk to Saint Paul: "Therefore, brethren, stand fast: and hold the TRADITIONS, which you have learned, whether by WORD or by our epistle [letter]. (2 Thes 2:15) (Emphasis mine)
Margie, can you cite one, just one, verse in the Holy Scriptures that claims one must follow only the Bible?
Margie| 9.19.09 @ 6:42PM
"Christ is admonishing the cult of personality."
Exactly the point. If you choose to bow to the Pope, go right ahead. The Catholic religion is one of the biggest cults on earth. Its doctrines are doctrines of demons. Jesus is Lord. Not the Pope. He is powerless.
Margie| 9.19.09 @ 6:54PM
"Margie, can you cite one, just one, verse in the Holy Scriptures that claims one must follow only the Bible?"
Yes. ""For I testify together everyone hearing the words of the prophecy of this Book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add upon him the plagues having been written in this Book. And if anyone will take away from the words of the Scroll of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the Book of Life, and out of the holy city, and of the things having been written in this Book." Rev. 22:18&19;.
Nick| 9.19.09 @ 7:08PM
Margie,
Is English your second language?
"[T]his Book [...]" is clearly referring to Saint John's Revelation. Not all of the Holy Scriptures.
Again, nice way to wrench a quote out of context.
Margie| 9.19.09 @ 7:46PM
"Margie,
Is English your second language?
"[T]his Book [...]" is clearly referring to Saint John's Revelation. Not all of the Holy Scriptures.
Again, nice way to wrench a quote out of context."
So are you saying you don't regard the book of Revelation as part of the Bible, then?
Apparently you can't read. John CLEARLY differentiates between~ 1. This Book and 2. This prophecy.
It is your choice to pick and choose which parts of the Bible to conveniently believe. If you do, you play games with God. Pick on my grammar all you wish, all I have to say to you, is lotsa luck! Jesus Christ is LORD. He rose from the dead and is alive for you to pray to. The ONLY mediator between God and man. The Pope can't save you. He is powerless. Neither can Mary. She's dead. She can't hear you. It's a lie.
Nick| 9.19.09 @ 8:08PM
"So are you saying you don't regard the book of Revelation as part of the Bible, then?" What?? No, I am not.
Saint John is admonishing others not to add to this "revelation", this "unveiling", this prophetic vision he received from God.
What do the Holy Scriptures say about embryonic stem cell research? How about artificial birth control? What about the use of nuclear weapons?
If you rely on just the Bible, you will have no opinion on whether these are right or wrong.
Nick| 9.19.09 @ 7:16PM
I choose to bow to the Holy Father out of respect for him as Christ's Prime Minister, chosen by the Holy Spirit.
Nick| 9.19.09 @ 7:38PM
I forgive you again, Margie, for attacking the Roman Catholic Church.
And I will sort of agree with you. Some bishops, including some popes of the past, did not heed Christ's warning. They exalted themselves rather than being servants. This not exclusive to the Catholic Church, though.
I notice you didn't answer my question about your own father, why?
Nick| 9.19.09 @ 7:44PM
The two posts above were in response to the "cult of personality" post.
I don't know why they posted here.
Margie| 9.19.09 @ 8:02PM
"And I will sort of agree with you. Some bishops, including some popes of the past, did not heed Christ's warning. They exalted themselves rather than being servants. This not exclusive to the Catholic Church, though.
I notice you didn't answer my question about your own father, why?"
Nick,
You answered your own question earlier when you said Jesus was talking about the cult of personality when he said to call no man on earth your Father. That's the point! Priests and Popes refer to themselves as Fathers. There is but one Mediator between God and Man, Christ Jesus. It couldn't be more clear. You can have a relationship with Jesus Himself. No other man has the power to save you or to forgive your sins. It is all a huge lie. That is not bashing. It is the truth. At Pentecost, after Jesus rose from the dead and went to Heaven he gave the Holy Spirit directly to those who believe in Him. That is what He is still doing today. There is no mediator needed!
Nick| 9.19.09 @ 8:29PM
Margie,
Christ was talking about the cult of personality the scribes and Pharisees had created for themselves by praising each other as "teacher", "master", and "father". Much like our senators, representatives, and judges do today.
It wasn't the word that made them pompous and arrogant. It was their hard-heartedness. Their pride. Are you telling me there aren't protestant pastors that don't do the same thing?
Agian, Sts. Stephen, Paul, and Peter used the spiritual father-child relationship in their writings. Are they violating Christ's command in the very Scriptures they are writing? I don't think so.
"Doctor" comes from the Latin for "teacher", by the way. Are they a cult, also?
Margie| 9.19.09 @ 9:20PM
OK Nick. You are going to believe what you are going to believe. The moral of the story is, put your faith in Christ. Only He can save you. " I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." Jn. 14:6. I also believe that the Bible is 100% true. Including the book of Revelation. I choose not to believe anything that adds to the entire Bible, or takes anything away from it. I believe the Bible's definition of true religion: "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their afflictions, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world." James 1:27. I subscribe only to that. None other.
Nick| 9.19.09 @ 11:26PM
Yes, Margie, I'm going to believe in Our Lord Jesus Christ, the second Person of the Trinity, and the Church He founded almost 2000 years ago.
The Church preceded the New Testament, by the way. Did you know that? Did the first Christians follow "only the Bible"?
And I see by your lack of response to my other posts, you have no answers, huh?
When did I say the pope or a priest can save someone? I never did, and it is not a teaching of the Roman Catholic Church. Straw man argument.
It seems you have never come up against a Catholic who actually knows something about the Scriptures. Nice try, though.
God bless, Margie. I'll keep you in my prayers.
Margie| 9.19.09 @ 6:47PM
" Again, talk to Saint Paul: "Therefore, brethren, stand fast: and hold the TRADITIONS, which you have learned, whether by WORD or by our epistle [letter]. (2 Thes 2:15) (Emphasis mine)"
Exactly. The traditions learned. They are based on what Christ taught. Which are all in the Bible. Have you read the New Testament? have you ever bothered to check what the Catholic religion teaches and compared it to the Bible? Jesus Himself has the power to forgive sins, not the Pope, or any other man.
Nick| 9.19.09 @ 7:15PM
"They are based on what Christ taught. Which are all in the Bible." - Margie
"But there are also many other things which Jesus did which, if they were written every one, the world itself, I think, would not be able to contain the books that should be written." - the Apostle Saint John
(John 21:25)
Have you read the New Testament?
Nick| 9.19.09 @ 8:33PM
"Jesus Himself has the power to forgive sins, not the Pope, or any other man."
What does power to "bind" and "loose" mean then?
Nick| 9.19.09 @ 8:51PM
Also, do you believe in the "Holy Trinity"?
If you do, you believe in, not something found in the Holy Scriptures, but in Catholic theology developed after the Apostles had all died.
There were heresies over the doctrine of the Trinity.
Margie| 9.19.09 @ 7:01PM
"And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven [the office of Prime Minister]."
I fear YOU have added the officer of Prime Minister. A fearful thing for you to do. And again, you added it here: "And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven [the power of the P.M. to forgive transgressions, i.e. sins]."
There is no Prime Minister in these verses. Nor anywhere else in the Bible. Did you read Rev. 22 18 & 19?
Nick| 9.19.09 @ 7:27PM
You must have flunked English in school, huh?
Brackets (i.e. "[ ]") inside of quotation marks, mean that I added something to the quote. "I.e." is Latin for ID EST, "that is" in English.
Where can I send my bill for this remedial English lesson, Margie?
And I added these explanations to educate you on what the scriptures are saying.
"There is no Prime Minister in these verses. Nor anywhere else in the Bible." You didn't know the kings of Israel had prime ministers?
Margie| 9.19.09 @ 1:53PM
"You shouldn't be so ignorant of someone elses religion, if you're going to bash it. It makes you look foolish."
"For the Word of the cross is foolishness to those being lost, but to us being saved, it is the power of God." 1 Cor. 1:18
John II| 9.20.09 @ 3:08PM
Er . . . Marge and Nick, is it safe for me to butt into this exchange now that things have cooled down? I was traveling languidly through this thread when I ran into your give-and-take, and I was sorely tempted to jump in, being a Catholic convert and all, since I have some intimate sense of where each of you is coming from, but then I thought better of it. Just a few uninvited remarks of perhaps broader import, then--to wit:
1. I'm obviously on Nick's side of the divide, Marge, but don't shut me off. I just want to point out that Ratzy (we orthodox Roman Catholics are fond of referring to Joseph Ratzinger, the current Holy Father known as Benedict XVI, as "Ratzy") . . . that Ratzy is on our side (yours and Nick's and mine) so far as the western cultural-socio-political divide goes. We are all commonly against the secular utilitarianism of the Obamanation.
2. So then, Marge, for now at any rate, I think you should cool it with the anti-Catholic whoop-whoop. We are all Christians (although some evangelicals doubt that about us Catholics-- and it's very amusing to be thought of as a pagan), and I'll take it a step further by telling you, Marge (no offense), that, historically, I regard you as an honest "cafeteria Catholic" (as against the dishonest cafeteria Catholics who still call themselves Catholic--and vote for such transparent creeps as the Prophet Obama).
I think that you and Nick and I need to put aside our differences for the sake of what we indisputably agree about: that the America we all love is in danger of disintegrating, and that the culprits responsible for the dissolution are clearly identifiable.
United, we can stumble along pretty effectively and slip a permanent whoopee cushion under the likes of the Obamamaniacs and the culture of the secular-left renegade. Divided, we just fall.
So let's concentrate for now on our common enemy. We can get back to the bickering among ourselves after the enemy has been properly vanquished.
Now how do I climb out of this thread . . .?
Margie| 9.20.09 @ 5:07PM
"For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many." Mt. 24:5
"Let no one deceive you with empty words, for through these the wrath of God is coming on the sons of disobedience. Then do not be partners with them;." Eph. 5:6 & 7
"Behold, I have told you beforehand.
Wherefore if they shall say to you, "Behold, he is in the desert"; go not forth: "behold, he is in the secret chambers"; believe it not.
For as the lightning comes out of the east, and shines even unto the west; so also will the coming of the Son of man be." Mt. 24:25-27
"...and then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in Heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of Heaven with power and great glory. And He shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of Heaven to the other." Mt 24: 30 & 31
"Blessed is the one reading, and those hearing the words of this prophecy, and keeping the things having been written; for the time is near. .."Behold, He comes with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, and the ones who pirced Him, and all the tribes of the earth will wail on account of Him. Yes, Amen." Rev. 1:3 & 7.
" The One testifying these things says, Yes, I am coming quickly. Amen. Yes, come, Lord Jesus!" Rev. 22:20.
Margie| 9.20.09 @ 5:11PM
*pirced should read: pierced.
John II| 9.20.09 @ 6:39PM
Hi Marge. Serves me right for butting in. Anyhow, the Olivet Discourse in Mt. 24-25, to which you principally allude, is hard to interpret. Partly because of that discourse, many (perhaps most) early Christians expected the world-shattering events enumerated by Our Lord to occur soon after His Ascension: "Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away till all these things take place" (Mt. 24:34).
Was Jesus mistaken? If we simply take what He says literally, we may perhaps feel uncomfortable because the world is still with us almost 2000 years after He prophesied its frightful end. We also would need to pluck our eyes out every time they are a source of temptation. Apart from the hyperbole which Jesus seems to have used rather frequently to emphasize the seriousness of His topics, the Olivet Discourse itself is subject to intrepretation other than the literal sense in which it was taken by so many of the earliest Christians.
Here's one, offered by a Biblical scholar who, though trained in a Protestant seminary, eventually came over to the RC side of the divide. (So you may want to take what he says with a grain of salt, I dunno.):
A closer look at Jesus' [Olivet] words in the context of ancient Judaism reveals a better interpretation. Namely, Jesus was predicting the demise of the Jerusalem Temple--the architectural symbol of the Old Covenant. At the literal-historical level, Jesus' entire discourse is an extension of his cryptic comment about the Temple: "There will not be left here one stone upon another, that will not be thrown down" (Mt. 24:2). Hearing this, the disciples were probably reminded of a similar event in the OT when God allowed the Temple to be destroyed in 586 B.C. as punishment for Israel's sins (2 Kings 25:8-10). Interpreting Jesus' words in this way does more adequate justice to the symbolism of his language and the testimony of history. Ancient sources confirm his prophecy: the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple in A.D. 70, a tragedy that claimed the lives of more than 1 million Jews. From this perspective, Jesus stands vindicated, since his words did come to pass within the lifetime of his contemporaries. . . . Like many religions of the Near East, the Israelites regarded their Temple as a miniature replica or microcosm of the world; it was an architectural model of the universe fashioned by God. Conversely, the universe itself was a macrotemple, where God also dwells with his people. This is best summarized by the Psalmist, "He built his santuary like the high heavens, like the earth, which he has founded for ever" (Ps 78:69).
Thus speaketh a Biblical scholar trained in a Protestant seminary.
Of course, as Shakespeare reminds us (in The Merchant of Venice), the devil can cite Scripture for his own purpose, and perhaps folks like myself and the scholar I've quoted are instruments of the Evil One, sowing doubt and discord among the faithful who take their Bible with minute literalness. That seems to be how some Christians view smart-ass Papists of my persuasion. It may be how you view me. All I'm trying to do is illustrate how quoting the Bible, even to another firm believer in the inerrant authority of Scripture (i.e., me), doesn't of itself necessarily carry much weight, especially when I can't figure out what the relevance of the quotes is to my suggestion that we put off the bickering for now so that we can pool our wits in a united effort against the indisputable depredations of the Left.
And so in response to your string of quotes, I herewith quote Napoleon Dynamite: "Gosh!"
Can anybody tell me how to get out of this thread . . .?
Nick| 9.21.09 @ 6:36PM
John II,
I see you have listened to Dr. Scott Hahn's "The End" series, no? Wasn't it amazing?
He and Jeff Cavins, in "Our Father's Plan", did so much to explain the "plot" of the Bible for me. But listening to "The End" really opened up the Scriptures for me. I really learned a lot and gained confidence in defending my faith.
Thanks for your input. By the way, have seen any of Jeff Cavin's "Great Adventure" series. It is awesome. Also check out Tim Gray's primer on the book of Exodus.
John II| 9.22.09 @ 8:12PM
Hi Nick. No, I've never seen the series, but I gather he must recycle a lot of his material. I was indeed quoting Hahn--but in his ongoing annotated Bible series for Ignatius Press.
In venues such as this I generally don't cite my authorities unless, like Shakespeare, they're in the public domain, so to speak. I've been cited myself on occasion in the stuffy world of scholarship, and it's most embarrassing. I'm trying my best to tip-toe through this life cozily ensconced in anonymity. The public life takes time away from one's family, which is inexcusable if you're not a towering genius.
In other words, all politicians and most journalists are inexcusable. Thanks for the kind words.
Nick| 9.21.09 @ 6:17PM
John II, you are probably right. And I could have been more charitable in my posts. Was not in a good mood Saturday.
So, Margie, I apologize for my arrogance and insulting you in my posts. Not the best way to talk about Christ.
If you treat me with respect, I will reciprocate, and we can have a civil discussion. But if you attack the Holy Father and my religion, we're gonna fight.
I do like talking about the Bible, though, and hope we can in the future. Along with putting bleeding heart liberals in their place.
God bless.
Margie| 9.22.09 @ 2:25PM
Nick,
Apology accepted. I'm sorry I caused the provocation, and in this forum. My apologies. To all.
Onward!
Nick| 9.22.09 @ 2:50PM
Margie,
Thank you for your gracious apology, which I humbly accept.
May God Bless You and Your Family.
Margie| 9.18.09 @ 6:12PM
As to the RNC~~ don't get me started. I have been a staunch Republican since '92. Got started late in life, but at least I did. Thanks to el Rushbo, and the awesome Bob Grant, for that. And I am a conservative R. I cannot stand what lily-livered R's have done to our party. In my State, for example, whenever there is a fantastic conservative who runs for office, the "respectful, intelligent" R's refuse to nominate them, and or back them. We are turning into a party of "moderates", which are not Republican at all. So, yes maybe Mr. Blackwell will fit in nicely. I didn't know his race either. Nor do I care.
Bruce | 9.21.09 @ 10:03AM
Are you all done now? Can we return to the subject of the original post?
Thank you very much!
Alan Brooks| 9.18.09 @ 8:55AM
The current war started in '78 when the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. The Kremlin went by Lenin's dictum to hold back when bayonets struck steel, and move forward when bayonets hit mush.
Carter was mush and the Red Army went forward.
Alan Brooks| 9.18.09 @ 8:25PM
the '78 invasion sOVIET INAVASION OF Afghanistan triggered Al Qaeda, and eventually led, 23 years later, to the current war.
jd| 9.18.09 @ 9:42AM
This is just Jimmy Carter trying to be relevant and invent some modicum of respect for himself after his miserable presidency. He has no authority whatsoever to speak on ANY subject, especially those dealing with morality and common sense. Go back to building outhouses for Habitat, Jimmy. Almost 30 years since he's been out of office is WAY TO LONG for the public to have to hear about him any more. What a waste for the taxpaying American citizenry.
martin j smith| 9.18.09 @ 10:13AM
I think that Pelosi's incendiary comments yesterday claiming that there is violence associated with those who disagree with Obama trumps Joe Wilson's lack of decorum. It is beyond irresponsible and yet it is part of a piece of the strategy that the Democratic party led by Obama is responsible for.
Margie| 9.18.09 @ 6:15PM
So perfectly said. Thank you!
Yosemeti Sam| 9.18.09 @ 10:53AM
"Obama Is Right and Carter Is Wrong"
Huh?
That Carter has a 'lust' for hoof and mouth -
or is it foot in mouth disease - is a given.
How's this antiquated roosters' 'lust' for
women coming along?
Dixie Pixie| 9.18.09 @ 11:17AM
Does anyone remember when lying to the american people was a felony offense. Maybe TAS Online should convene a media court and hold Carter, Dowd and Pelosi accountable for their actions. TAS Online may not be able to arrest them but the trial should be funny.
Louis Jenkins| 9.18.09 @ 11:36AM
Speaker Nancy Pelosi: "I have concerns about some of the language that is being used because I saw ... I saw this myself in the late '70s in San Francisco," Pelosi said, choking up and with tears forming in her eyes. "This kind of rhetoric is just, is really frightening and it created a climate in which we, violence took place and ... I wish that we would all, again, curb our enthusiasm in some of the statements that are made."
Nancy, I have concerns about the language, the antics, and dress code at the Folsom Street Fair held in San Francisco every July. Don’t plead that you’ve never heard of it!! If you want to see a celebration of a violent culture, or a frightening climate, just use a search engine and look it up, but why bother? These are your constituents, Nancy, the very people who support you. Now compare the Folsom Street Fair crowd to the people who attend Tea Parties, Town Hall meetings, or went to DC Sept. 12th. Hmmm…not hard to figure who appears more frightening, and which I’d rather not meet in a dark alley. But I understand your position, dear Nancy. I’m just a taxpayer in fly over country who should keep his yap shut while the Vampires of DC drain every drop of blood they can, and share (confiscate) the wealth with every dollar they can get their hands on.
martin j smith| 9.18.09 @ 11:50AM
Think of Obama as an orchestra conductor and think of Carter,Pelosi ,Waters not to mention the MSM( they would be the chorus ) then I believe one understand what is happening. Gibbs is a distraction.
Margie| 9.18.09 @ 12:56PM
Martin J. Smith says, and I agree~ "Carter=Obama and Obama= Carter. Do not let Gibbsy fool you. There is a theory which I did not invent but I believe is quite plausable and it goes like this: Obama uses surrogates to do his dirty work and this allows him to seem above it all so to speak. The race card is a tactic that is being used by all Democratic supporters including the MSM."
Martin, you have got it so RIGHT! I thank you for saying it, and it is the TRUTH!
Have you read Obama's autobiography? In his own words he shows his deep hatred of, as he calls them, "white people."
HE is the racist. He may be getting away with the utter destruction he is causing to this once great Republic. He may be getting away with it in this lifetime, but he will pay for it in Eternity!
Now go ahead and remove my post if you are cowards!
ATLmedia| 9.18.09 @ 1:57PM
Jimmy Carter can point out the awful truth all he wants-if you're a racist though, you won't see it.
Southern democrats flocked to the Rebubs over the last generation, so they could go on being racist- Jesse Helms,Strom Thurman.. hell, our Gov. Sonny Purdue, saw the opening just a few years ago.
As far as JC goes, he has saved more lives (as an Ex Pez) thru water , parasite, & insect control programs in the 3rd world, well more lives than Bush Jr even caused to die, in his little mis-adventure.
Go figure
Margie| 9.18.09 @ 2:04PM
"As far as JC goes, he has saved more lives (as an Ex Pez) thru water , parasite, & insect control programs in the 3rd world, well more lives than Bush Jr even caused to die, in his little mis-adventure.
Go figure."
All his good deeds are as refuse before God. He wipes them away as Carter opens his mouth to accuse honest Americans of being racists for hating the destruction that Obama is doing to our country. He is a liar!
Victor| 9.21.09 @ 3:01PM
If you LIE about Jimmah Carter, what do you say about your clients?
Jimmah is a Racist and you need to open your eyes.
As far as I know, Sonny Purdue is no racist and we could use him in place of our crooked democrat gub'ner.
The Southern democrats who crossed over to the Right side were those who repented of their democrat sins and saw the light.
Go read the 1956 Southern Manifesto where 99 Southern Democrats and 2 republicans pledged to fight integration. Without much exception, nearly all, lived, served and died as democrats.
PS, It is true that Jimmah Carter makes a great Ex Pez, but he also makes a great Ex Bobblehead.
Oldefarte| 9.18.09 @ 2:36PM
Obama is a LIAR; and Carter is a -------MORON!!!
Marc Jeric| 9.18.09 @ 2:48PM
That bloviating gasbag Carter, a functional moron, had kissed Brezhnev and Arafat three times each, believing that such gestures will cure the mass killing instincts of those beasts. And then those socialist creeps in Oslo gave him a Peace Prize! He brought the mullaha to power in Iran, and delayed the fall of communism by at least 8 years. He also gave us 13% unemployment, 21.5% prime interest rate, and 15% inflation - what a President! And he has courage to speak and spout further nonsense - we are all racists for resisting the Obama's communization of our country!
Margie| 9.18.09 @ 2:58PM
Here's how a slithering snake ~thinks~ it is not lying~~ It says "It's not true that I am a liar. When Joe Wilson called me a liar, he was wrong because, you see, I will make the illegals legal, and then insure them. Now you cannot call it insuring the illegals!"
How brilliant! NOT. Brilliant is what you call the beautiful sunshine that God gives us that shines brightly and wonderfully on our faces each day. Wonderfully creative is a term used to describe God and what He has given us if you just take a look around. Snakes are slithering slick and despicable. They hide and jump out to bite you poisoning you and killing you with their venom. That is what we have here.
Flel| 9.18.09 @ 4:20PM
He can't comment on the subject to attempt to remain above the fray. Just like Holder going after the CIA he needs to appear disinterested while an underling does his bidding. When he goes off script, such as when he thinks the police acted stupidly or calls a singer a jackass or pokes fun at the Special Olympics, we see Obama's true colors and it isn't pretty. This is an arrogant, elitist that looks down on most everyone with little basis in reality. I know we are all flawed and don't like our ideas trashed, but most of us at least have the class to acknowledge the possibility that someone else has a better way to go. He can't bring himself to admit he is ever wrong. Maybe someday but it will be a long wait.
Bohemond| 9.18.09 @ 6:13PM
Let's not forget also the millions of persons of color who have died or had their lives irremediablyy blighted by Carter having, singlehandedly, installed Robert Mugabe as president of Zimbabwe.
Pingback| 9.18.09 @ 7:58PM
Twitter Trackbacks for The American Spectator : Obama Is Right and Carter Is Wrong [ links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Alan Brooks| 9.18.09 @ 8:33PM
oops, too many typos in that last one; do over ...
the '78 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan triggered Al Qaeda, and eventually led, 23 years later, to the current war.
Carter's policies in Affric led to more genocide than would have been the case if Carter hadn't been potus. Marxists ruined Africa thanks as much to Carter as anyone else.
When Castro heard Carter was elected in '76, he thought, "now there's a wimp in the Wuss House... let's send some Cubans to Southern Africa and scratch the wounds down there.''
Commies like to take a sore spot in the world and exacerbate it.
Klabautermann| 9.18.09 @ 10:17PM
The specter of racism is raising its ugly head in the most unlikely places. Democratic Senator Feingold is now questioning President Obama's (peace be upon him) Czar appointments. My question is: Would Feingold be raising these questions if the president (peace be upon him) were white?
Carter claims that his greatest accomplishment was his human rights record. That is why his administration supported Pol Pot. He is a fraud.
Margie| 9.19.09 @ 12:05AM
Senator Feingold (peace be upon him) is now questioning President Obama's Czar Appointments. Hallelujah, in fact! My question is: Would Obama even be appointing Czars if more Senator Feingolds (peace be upon him) would be questioning this? It is unconstitutional, darling.
Alan Brooks| 9.18.09 @ 11:16PM
In my two cents (or one cents worth) opinion, President Obama ought to get advice from conservative blacks on improving race relations. Jimmy Carter, as he knows, is mostly fanning the fires of dissension; Carter means well, but so does Louis Farrakhan.
A conservative such as Thomas Sowell could definitely help-- if he isn't seen as anathema by too many blacks.
Look at how Al Sharpton is working together with Newt Gingrich on education. Be thankful for small favors
Bruce | 9.21.09 @ 10:13AM
Your contention is what, Mr. Brooks - that Newt working with Sharpton is a good thing?
Please - Sharpton is doing what Sharpton has done since I first tangled with him and his racist thugs in Brookltn 25 years ago. Sharpton is being Sharpton. And Newt? Give me a break. Newt is all about what's good for4 him. He's trying to make himself relevant again after tossing aside his principles from the Contract with America. He was a fraud then and he's still a fraud. He actually thiunks working with a race baiter like Sharpton makes him look credible?
Further political ambitions, Newt? Another stab at gutting the GOP?
Margie| 9.19.09 @ 12:08AM
Al & Newt are working together on education? I gotta go read about that, must've missed it somehow. I guess I'd be for it, but come on, Thomas Sowell? I doubt it. He's not black enough. He's a conservative, remember?
Skip MacLure| 9.19.09 @ 12:15AM
The Carter administration can be safely called the 'ship of fools'. That's pretty much how history will judge him as well...arguably the worst presidency in US history and one (so far ) of the most damaging as well...Carter stagflation sure felt like the Anointed One's economy now....
All else aside Jimmy Carter was and is a rabid anti-semite. His gubernatorial campaign in Georgia was rife with the race card. Scratch an anti-semite and you'll find a racist..and you won't have to look very deep. I'm tired of and disgusted by this worn out has-been putz and wish he'd take his vile poison back to his peanut farm where it might be of more use on the insects...but then he my feel too much empathy....
Semper Vigilans, Semper Fidelis
Victor| 9.21.09 @ 2:40PM
Hello Skip, if the Carter Administration is the "Ship of Fools", what is the Obama Administration then, but the Voyage of the Damned.
martin j smith| 9.19.09 @ 12:18PM
The leader has decided that the race card is counter productive so now he says "its not about race" . He could have stopped this line a while ago but he let it run its course. But, what about the opposition as Nazis,terrorists, Un-American or whatever ? Is that still OK ? Lets see what happens on all the Sunday morning shows where Obama will appear.
davod| 9.19.09 @ 1:28PM
"As far as JC goes, he has saved more lives (as an Ex Pez) thru water , parasite, & insect control programs in the 3rd world, well more lives than Bush Jr even caused to die, in his little mis-adventure."
If Carter suported the ban on DDT then he contributed to the death of millions in the third world.
Just as we now get a concerted effort to call say Obama policy opponents are fomenting violence, the effort to taint opponents as racists is just as concerted. Was this a miraculus coming together of the minds, or was it at the direction of the White House daily e-mail briefing.
Carter is operating on orders from the white house talking points memo.
DaveS| 9.19.09 @ 3:20PM
Any further discussion of Carter is a waste of time. It's settled. Move on!
martin j smith| 9.19.09 @ 5:32PM
Its not about Carter, its about Obama. Its all about Obama.
Alan Brooks| 9.19.09 @ 10:27PM
"arguably the worst presidency in US history and one (so far ) of the most damaging"
LBJ's was worse.
Alan Brooks| 9.19.09 @ 10:34PM
"He can't bring himself to admit he is ever wrong."
Neither did our greatest president, Washington.
Difference is:
though Obama will be reelected, he is competent but not great, as Washington was.
Clinton was competent, but not great.
Reagan was great and competent.
Carter was neither.
the Holy Roman Empire wasn't.
The prosecution rests its case.
Scott| 9.20.09 @ 4:41AM
The race card is spent. They'll keep using it, of course, but it is finished.
We all know that we're going to be painted as racists for opposing anything "progressive". As in: “YOU’RE SURELY A RACIST, IF…” at http://firebreathingchristian......racist-if/
This is pure desperation on their part. That's the good news.
Pingback| 9.20.09 @ 7:20AM
The Fringe Media – Proof Socialism Fails; The Titanic had a band, not so ABC CBS NBC links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
A. Brooks| 9.21.09 @ 12:52AM
blacks today have it better than Latinos.
Latinos, many-- no Todd, not all-- of whom being noncitizens or children of noncitizens, don't want to complain too much.
Even if they do throw elections.
molly| 9.21.09 @ 5:30AM
Jimmy Carter is a lunatic and should crawl back into his hole & shut up.
Carter was wrong when he was president and he's wrong now! Wilson is not a racist. It's the liberals that keep pulling the race card since they have nothing else.
Criticism of Obama is about POLICY, not race.
http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-.....?C=1992738
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Rick| 10.7.09 @ 3:53PM
I have to agree that it is crazy what Carter thinks! He still doesn't understand anything it seems to me. Hmm, I don't even know what to think anymore. I think I'll crawl back in my hole, take my acai burn extreme, and cry myself to sleep.