Guns: God's great gift

When last I wrote about the Carroll County Maryland Board of Commissioners, mere weeks ago, they were explaining why it was perfectly OK for them to pray to their God for divine guidance before public board meetings.

And God, in his wisdom, apparently guided the board to a...um...special understanding of the Maryland State Firearms Act of 2013 (MSFA) as well as Maryland's previous gun laws, and to unanimously declare that the county is a "Second Amendment Sanctuary County."

The board's "Second Amendment Preservation" resolution declares the MSFA to be "pretended," AKA "unconstitutional," and further basically declares that the county will not act to enforce that law.

The board also declares "null and void within Carroll County, elements of any international treaties" that infringe on the right of citizens to own any and all guns and ammunition they want, without restriction.

And they support the creation of "a video documentary discussing Second Amendment concepts, and potential remedies available to citizens when confronted with unconstitutional infringements upon their liberties; case studies to include examples such as the Rosa Parks incident."

[Yes! We need to reflect upon the "incident" during which Rosa Parks was asked to move to a seat in the back of a bus, but she decided to stand her ground and showed the driver and other passengers that she was carrying. "See this gun which I have a Constitutional and God-given right to carry? Don't you dare tell me where to sit!" Rosa snarled, confident that her gun made her point for her.]

In the resolution's preamble, the commissioners point out that the right to own guns is granted by God, and that the Second Amendment merely confirms that right.

A few of you may be wondering, "How do the commissioners know that God gave us the unrestricted right to own guns and ammo?" Do you doubt that gun ownership is a right given by God? Don't be silly. The Bible, which God dictated to its writers--and also guided its many, many editors--offers a number of examples of God granting gun rights and approving of their use. Here is just a small sampling:

Even the non-religious may be familiar with God's 10 Commandments, including this one:

Thou shalt not kill, although thou shalt have a gun to kill if thou shalt decide to kill. (Exodus 20:13, NRA Version)

From the very beginning, God was in favor of unrestricted gun ownership:

God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. And for this purpose I have given you every weapon without restriction. And you shall use the weapons I have given you to exercise your dominion over every living thing. And God saw it was good. (Genesis 1:26)

So he drove out the man [Adam]; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life. But in his mercy, he let the man keep his weapon, which the man called gun. (Genesis 3:24)

The Bible also illustrates the danger of not owning a gun:

And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him. For although God blessed all men with the right to possess a gun, Abel did not possess a gun, and so could not stop Cain his brother from slaying him. (Genesis 4:8)

And the advantages of using one:
 

And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a AK-47 with a 30-round clip, and shot it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that 30 bullets sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.
So David prevailed over the Philistine with a gun and with bullets, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; there was no need for a sword in the hand of David. (1 Samuel 17:49-50)

But it's not just the Old Testament that confirms God's desire that all have the right to own the weapon of their choice.

Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment. Yet my Father has given you guns, for if you are not to be killed, thou must kill first. (Matthew 5:21)

It is perhaps important to note that the divine rights granted by God, despite some belief to the contrary, are not just for Americans or for Christians, but for everyone. So every gun for everyone! That can't turn out badly if that's what God wants, right?

What do a "testosterone booster" and "The Daily Bible Guide" have in common?

The answer: spam promoting both "The Natural Testosterone Booster From Force Factor" and "Get inspiration from the Bible with one click" via The Daily Bible Guide arrived in my email this morning.

Both promote products that promise to help you, but may really mess you up. Both so not something I'd want or use. Both sent by some #&%*@)*&$&%!! spammer who doesn't care if I want to get email from them or not.

My spam detector pounced right on them and straight into the trash they went.

County commisioner to employees: No pressure, but come pray with me, monthly, in the County Office Building

The Baltimore Sun reports that Robin Frazier, a Carroll County Maryland commissioner, recently "emailed an invitation to about 850 government employees to attend a monthly prayer session, which she will lead." Frazier's "time for prayer" will be held in the County Office Building beginning June 7.

Since Frazier has the right to privately pray, anytime, and anyplace, there must be a reason that she feels the need to ask 850 county employees to join her.

Some possible reasons:

• Frazier is really lonely talking to herself--which is really what praying to a mythological invisible superbeing is.
• Frasier is trying to promote religion as a leader of Carroll County government and pressure employees into participating in a religious practice in contravention of the First Amendment. But Frazier says there is "no pressure," even though the best way to show that she's not attempting to pressure employees to pray with her would be to not invite the county's employees to pray with her every month in the County Office Building. But really, rest assured, Frasier has no intention whatsoever in violating the principle of separation of church and state. She is quoted in The Sun as saying,"The Bible directs us to pray for our country." See? Nothing religious about that, right?
• Frasier wants everyone to admire what a good, pious Christian she is. "Read my email in which I talk about my plan to lead employees in a group prayer. Admire what a good, pious Christian I am. Come witness me praying and setting a good example for you all."
• Frasier is offering to share her special expertise in praying: "Let me lead you in prayer because you don't know how to pray on your own so I have to show you how to do it."
• Frasier is concerned that Carroll County employees no longer have churches or other places of worship to pray in and believes that they cannot pray in their homes or anywhere else outside of the County Office Building. The County Office Building is the only possible venue for prayer.

Frasier contends that she has the right to use the County Office Building for religious purposes because "[o]ther groups use this same building for noncounty business." So, I'm sure local Muslims, Wiccans, Pagans, Rastafarians, and Pastafarians could start meeting in the building every month, and Frasier would have no problem with that. Some non-Christian religious group needs to test that. Soon. Really. And don't forget to request the use of the County's email system to invite 850 County employees to attend!

Or better yet, since "other groups" can and do meet in the Carroll County Office Building according to Frasier, local atheist groups, humanists, skeptics, pro-choice and gay-rights groups, and organizations like Americans United for Separation of Church and State should start meeting there every month. Because that would be an awesome way for Frazier and the other county commissioners to show that the County Office Building space really is a forum open to all, and that they aren't mixing their personal religious beliefs in with every resident's government.

Uphold the sanctity of divorce with SODA!

First the gays wanted the right to marry. Now they want the right to divorce! Will they never be satisfied until they have the same rights as straight people?!
 

"Maryland threatens the sanctity of divorce" by Ralph E. Shaffer sets out the compelling argument that same-sex divorce, an issue now before Maryland's highest court, the Maryland Court of Appeals, threatens the sanctity of the traditional, Biblical view of divorce--the severing of a marriage between one man and one woman.

Shaffer warns that without legal protection preventing gays from divorcing, straight couples will no longer file for divorce. And, in my opinion, that obviously spells doom for the entire institution of divorce! What dire consequences will straights not-divorcing have on the fabric of our society?

Shaffer urges the adoption of the "Sanctity of Divorce Act" (SODA) to defend traditional, God-approved divorce from the threat posed by same-sex divorce. SODA would go beyond allowing each state to decide whether or not to permit same-sex couples to divorce in that state, permitting states to nullify same-sex splits legalized by other states. Just the type of bold and noble legislation needed to save the sacred institution of divorce!

Help save divorce as we know it. Help save the American family by not allowing gays to divorce. Help save children from the stigma of having divorced, gay parents. Help save the U.S. Help keep God in divorce. Support SODA!

Concerns about County-sponsored Bible-based constitutional law speaker unfounded; hardly mentioned God at all

News that the Carroll County (Maryland) commissioners had funded, and asked County employees to attend, a seminar taught by Bible-based constitutional law expert David Whitney, the pastor of a Pasadena, Maryland church and a lecturer for the Institute on the Constitution, which coincidentally happens to be based in Pasadena, raised concerns among, and protests from, the finicky folks who object to the mixing of religion and government.

Whitney, unlike other scholars who could have been asked to teach a Maryland constitutional law seminar, understands the importance of The Bible in American law and government. According to The Baltimore Sun, Whitney said before the seminar was held on February 24, "We will be looking at the language of our founding fathers who wrote they were 'grateful to Almighty God for civil and religious liberties' front and center on this document. The Bible is the source of the authority that they looked to."

Any concerns about the improper mixing of religion and government were obviously needless from the start, since being a constitutional law expert, Whitney knows, full well, that teaching government employees attending a government-funded seminar about how God helped write the Maryland Constitution is perfectly OK, since that's merely a factual retelling of its history, and has absolutely nothing at all to do with his or any other religious beliefs.

The Carroll County commissioners also completely understand the issue of separation of church and state, and so obviously would not mix the two. Commissioner Richard Rothschild said, "It is perfectly appropriate to teach a course which factually explains the role God plays in our constitution."

Reports after the seminar also confirmed that any concerns about violation of the principle of separation of church and state were totally unjustified. As noted in another Sun article, written after the seminar, Whitney made only "a few" religious references including his making clear that "Our rights come from God, not the government."

Facebook Follies:

Today's Facebook Folly: Apparently if you don't post this as your Facebook status, Jesus will be miffed and pretend he doesn't know you, and won't introduce you to his father, who apparently has no idea who you are until Jesus introduces you, and you won't be invited into heaven unless Jesus introduces you properly.

I believe in Jesus Christ and have accepted Him as my personal Saviour. One facebooker has challenged all believers to put this on their wall...In the Bible it says, if you deny me in front of your peers, I will deny you in front of my Father at the Gates of Heaven. Amen! This is simple. If you love God and you are not afraid to show it, repost this.

Facebook Follies: The Satan Headache

Today's Facebook Folly:

When you carry the Bible, Satan gets a headache. When you open it, he collapses. When he sees you reading it, he faints. When he sees that you are living what you read, he flees. And when you are about to re-post this message, he will try and discourage you. I just defeated him !!!!

My Facebook friend is so brave and so powerful, defeating a mythical evil character like that! I'm impressed.

Email spam: The Almighty Bible

I don't know if I've recently been added to some unfortunate spam list, or whether my spam filters just aren't catching everything they used to, but I've started receiving spam on two previously spam-free email accounts. 

None of the recent spam has been the typical "enlarge your penis" or "refill your male sex medications" spam. Instead, the spam all seems to be ads linked to websites for a wide variety of products--but, just like the more typical spam, not a single one so far seems to be targeted to my needs or interests.

For example, this ad:

Ah, yes, just what an atheist whose atheist children are now adults would buy. Although I am a little tempted to send for the FREE Book of Genesis, which The Almighty Bible promotion site assures me is "PERFECT FOR ALL AGES!"

At least the ad admits that the books are "graphic novels," and doesn't claim they're non-fiction "as dictated by God," and that the books are only "biblically accurate," not, you know, "factually accurate."

At the pharmacy: Scripture candy

Seen today while shopping at Rite Aid Pharmacy:

The Jesus Tin, embossed with "Jesus, Sweetest Name I Know" containing soft peppermints with wrappers printed with Bible verses, $3.95.